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About Google Book Search Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web at |http: //books .google .com/I I INDIAN NOTES HARVARD UNIVERSITY LIBRARY PEABODY MUSEUM GIFT OF ROLAND BURRAGE DIXON (A.B. 1107. Ph-D- igoD) OF HARVARD, MASSACHUSETTS Received May 7, 1936 MUSEUM ( \i ■s ™-ov\-s This series of Indian Notes and Monographs is devoted primarily to the publication of the results of studies by members of the staff of the Mu- seum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, and is uniform with His- panic Notes and Monographs, pub- lished by the Hispanic Society of America, with which organization this Museum is in cordial cooperation. r CONTENTS PAGE Preface ^ 9 Medicine Ceremony of the Menomini 15 Introduction 15 Sacred Myth of the Origin of the Mita- win 24 Initiation Ceremony 83 The Jebainoke, or Private Memorial Ceremony, for Members of the Lodge loi The Uswinauamikasko, or Obliteration Ceremony 126 The Yatapewin, or Reinstatement Cere- mony 128 General Remarks on the Mitawin 165 Synopsis of the Mitawin 174 The Sacred Origin Myth 174 The Initiation Ceremony 177 Private and Public Memorial Ser- vices 181 The Yatapewin, or Reinstatement Ceremony 184 The Iowa Mankany^ Wad, or Medicine Dance '. . 189 Origin Myth 189 Tcek^uyokd, or Initiation by Purchase. 192 INDIAN NOTES IV 6 MEDICINE CEREMONY The Iowa Mankany^ Wad, or Medicine Dance. — Continued. Final Rites: Investment of the Candi- date in the Brush 209 Wan&ki Geratung'a, or Initiation to take the Place of a Deceased Member .... 220 Joining by Giving a Scalp 226 Kigirdya, or Washing-off Feast 229 Pexu Wad, or Spring Medicine Dance . 230 Natowhani Wad, When-the-leaves-fall Dance, or Autumn Ceremony 242 Mankany^ Tcelnau ("Medicine Dead Road"), or Mourning Ceremony .... 243 The "Otter Hunting" 244 Hanwahe Waci, or Day Dance of the Medicine-lodge and Buffalo Doctors. 250 Summ£iry of the Iowa Medicine Dance. 253 Origin Myth 253 Initiation by Purchase 254 Final Rites: Investment of the Can- didate in the Brush 256 Initiation to take the Place of a Deceased Member 257 Joining by Giving a Scalp 258 Washine-off Feast 2^8 Spring Medicine Dance 259 Autumn Ceremony 260 Mourning Ceremony 260 The "Otter Hunting" 261 Hdnwahe Wad 261 IV INDIAN NOTES 10 ^JA^ETTt Today the ceremony still survives among some of the Algonkian tribes, b< ing actively practised by the Menonurfi, Potawatomi, and Sauk/V^ is nearly if nBFlitrite--extiiTct'"ambng the Cree. Among the Siouan tribes, some bands of Winnebago in Wisconsin and Nebraska, and the Eastern Dakota ref- ugees near Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, perform the rites. An Omaha mixed- blood once informed the writer that his people still kept up the ceremony, but among the Ponca, Iowa, and Oto, it is a thing of the past. While the ceremony early attracted the attention of explorers and ethnolo- gists, its esoteric nature has long ren- dered it almost impossible to obtain de- tailed or coherent data; indeed it is only recently that the introduction of the so- called "Peyote religion" has caused members of certain of the tribes in ques- tion to relax the rigidity of the rules of secrecy. Various vague articles by Schoolcraft, and Hoffman's excellent mon- ograph have been the means of making IV INDIAN NOTES 12 MEDICINE CEREMONY although data on the last two tribes are deficient. The society seems to be of Algonkian, and presumably of Ojibwa, origin, be- cause: 1. Even among the Siouan Iowa, Winne- bago, and Wahpeton Dakota, Al- gonkian songs persist. 2. The Wahpeton Dakota assert that they obtained the ceremony from the Sauk. 3. The relatively higher development of the degrees and origin myth among the Algonkian, particularly the Ojibwa. 4. The other Algonkian tribes, for ex- ample the Menomini, Potawatomi, and Cree, regard the Ojibwa as the great authority on the ritual, and employ many songs and formulas in their tongue. Information is lacking as to the bridge by which the society came to the Siouan from the Algonkian tribes. Perhaps this was through the Sauk, as Wahpeton Da- kota traditions inform us. It is, how- IV INDIAN NOTES r 14 MEDICINE CEREMONY tribes noted, conducted under the aus- pices of the Museum of the American In- dian, Heye Foundation, and the American Museum of Natural History. With each ritual is given a summary designed to as- sist the reader in the study of those points considered as fundamental by the In- dians, and which are often obscured by the mass of detail that accompanies them. The specimens used for illustration are, with few exceptions, in the collections of the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation. Those from the Iowa were gathered by Mr M. R. Harrington in Oklahoma, and those from the Men- omini by the writer. A. B. S. IV INDIAN NOTES ( 16 MEDICINE CEREMONY ■ erroneous, have been perpetuated in lit- erature. Chief among these are: "' mit- awit'' used by Hoffman to denote the society.* This is incorrect. The word miidwii is sometimes used to denote a candidate for admission into the lodge; the society is called mitawin\ the cere- mony of initiation, mitdwiwin\ a full- fledged member is a mitdo (Hoffman, mitd^)j and the building is mitdv/ik- omtk. Hoffman gives the concluding form for each speech in the lodge, which is prop- erly '* Nikanilkj nikanHk, nikanHk*' ("My colleagues, my colleagues, my col- leagues"), as ** Nikanif nikanij nikani^ kane,''^ Of course, it must be remem- bered that Hoffman recorded all his notes in the lodge during the ceremonies, and the tumult and excitement must neces- sarily have been distracting. His use of the words Masha Manido,^ which he places in the mouths of his informants, is doubtless an Ojibwa reminiscence. When the creator is referred to by the Menom- ini, the term Mdtc HdwdtHk is used. The IV INDIAN NOTES 1 18 MEDICINE CEREMONY offered tobacco. The price paid to him for the first part was the value of a pony; for the rest, the cost of several blankets for each separate section. This method is that employed by Indian youths who wish to buy the teaching of Ma'nabus, and indeed we were joined at several of the conferences by my informant's son- in-law, who was also purchasing working knowledge from the same instructor. As it was taboo to reveal the rites to a white man, the writer was formally adopted by the old shaman, who made a special tobacco sacrifice to Ma'nabus and the gods, telling them that he had re- ceived the writer into his family as a nephew (a closer relationship than a son, to the Menomini mind), and thenceforth he referred to me as nindkwdnd ("my sister's son"), both during the instruc- tion and at other times. Because the writer has received this information, he is considered an unaccepted mitdo\ that is, he has done everything but purchase the actual initiation. In addition, the writer has attended several ceremonies of IV INDIAN NOTES INTRODUCTION 19 the lodge, and has secured specimens and information from Cipikau, Ka'sikau, Na- kuti, Ukimaws, Mary Corn, Jane Cipi- kau, Kopaias Weke, Kinesa, Peter Fish, and the late Thomas Hog and Pitw^s- kdm. Unlike Hoffman's monograph, the fol- lowing account is entirely subjective and is from the standpoint of one of the In- dians recognized by his people as being highest in authority. It will be found to cover the omissions by Hoffman, though it has lacunae of its own. No attempt has yet been made to gather the numerous songs which are a part of the ritual, partly because they are considered as separate by those entitled to dispose of them, and are highly valued. Moreover, they are difficult to record, because the informant invariably insists on singing them to the accompaniment of a drum or a rattle in accordance with the prescribed method, since it is believed that any in- fraction of the rules will anger the gods. The recording of the songs is also hamp- ered by the insertion of a refrain of gib- AND MONOGRAPHS IV 1 1 I . 20 MEDICINE CEREMONY berish, which renders them unintelligible even to a native, unless he has previously heard and analyzed them. For instance, let us say the word mitdu/ikomikj or med- icine-lodge structure, is to be used in a song. To prolong the performance, to confuse all bystanders who are not members, to im- press them with the wisdom of the priests, and to fill out the meter, it is developed as follows: Mitdhe, he, he, mitdhi, hi, hi, Mitdho, ho, ho, mitdha, ha, ha, ha, Mitdwi hi, hi, hi, mitdwi, hi, hi, hi, Mitd, he, he, he, mitd, hi, hi, hi, Mitdii/ikomtk hi, mitdit/ikomik ha. We ho, ho, ho, ho.'' This is continued with each word, and often with each syllable. By means of a phonograph these songs could be gath- ered and a very interesting study might well develop. The few songs given are not written as they were sung, but as Mr John V. Satterlee was able to segregate the words from the meaningless vocables with which they are shrouded. This he was able to do only with some of the more IV INDIAN NOTES INTRODUCTION 21 simple songs, and, while the presiding shaman rendered no direct aid, he was always willing to inform us when we wer^ ^ight or wrong . — Of course, the burden imposed on the Indian in gathering this knowledge is very great, for he must learn verbatim the songs, myths, and ritual, without written aid. (In a few cases birchbark or wooden mnemonic records are used, but they are by no means as com mon as a mon ^e Ojibwa. See pi. i.Vi^fFpays to be told onc^, and Lliew pa3^5inore for repetitions. The average Indian finds it difficult to master the rites and all that pertains to them, though his memory is superior to that of the average white man who relies on written memoranda. Consequently the native youth comes again and again to his instructor, and a man or a woman desirous of becoming proficient and going through to the end of the teachings of Ma'nabus, is constantly subjected to an exhausting drain on his or her resources. The avarice of the shaman is insatiable, the more so since it is supported by re- AND MONOGRAPHS IV 22 MEDICINE CEREMONY ligious tradition which asserts that the teachings of the gods will not be of ser- vice if not highly valued, hence horses, guns, blankets, dogs, food, in fact any kind of "good consideration" are spent to acquire the teachings. Once in the pos- session of this knowledge, the owner may sell it to others, but this is forbidden him until he "has seen his own white hairs.** The benefits, therefore, of the medicine- lodge, from a pecuniary and physical standpoifll^-axe-Jaii^def erred. e acknowledged mtettt bf the society Is to prolong human life, and to this end the lore of re^i^ierb, root, and magical medicines, as well as its special property, is zealously guardedr'T^^ry p tioTTis bLiicLly piupitetary. Even at the point of death a person may not have it without paying an exorbitant price, though he be a relative or a friend of the owner, and new discoveries and revela- tions are kept secret until purchased. The lodge also seeks, for a price, to see to the final settlement of the souls of the dead in their future abode, and the rela- IV INDIAN NOTES 11 i J INTRODUCTION 23 tives pay well for ceremonies in behalf of the deceased. The literal translation made by Mr Satterlee in the writer's presence has been retained, because of the instructor's insistence that the myth should always be given verbatim. To offset this, an analytical digest of the rites is appended to each account. The ritual of the Menomini medicine- lodge is divided into four parts, the first of which is the dramatization of the in- itiation of the hero-god Ma'nabus, the ceremonies representing the first myth- ical performance of the rites. The lead- ers impersonate the great Gods Below and Above the novice Ma'nabus. The second part is the Jehainoke (or Jebai- noket)f the private funeral ceremony at which the soul of a deceased member is recalled from the hereafter, feasted, and dismissed forever, according to the com- mand of Ma'nabus, the master. The third' part is the Uswinauamikdsko, or Ob- literation Ceremony, a public and more elaborate form of the Jehainoke held in AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 24 MEDICINE CEREMONY a medicine-lodge erected at or near the grave SACRED MYTH OF THE ORIGIN OF THE MITAWIN The recitation of this myth was not commenced until the informant placed some tobacco on a piece of red cloth and offered the following prayer to all the gods: Md'nabus kSsewa mdkauwinimikotcint osison Ma'nSbus he has said we to remember hun, his uncles mecik onison asausikasamoatuH and his aunts that (it) should be sacrificed na'nimauwUn. Ini uskeseta usauinimi- tobacco. Where he had said that we should ' seta' inu'Hp mauwau UsauuputuH continue they too all they too shall smoke (this) nimdsomdsiinauwHk, Ispdmiu yom uspetduweki our grandfathers all. Above those in tiers mecik mauwau UnamUkumik. OkemduwHk and all those who are below. The masters ints aiituH auenim otapindwHk nind'nimomenau, there who are they will to accept our tobacco, be obliged Translation Ma'nabus commanded us, his uncles and his aunts, to remember him, and he said that we should sacrifice tobacco, and that we should con- tinue to do so. They too, all the great Powers, IV INDIAN NOTES ORIGIN MYTH 25 our Grandfathers, they shall smoke it. Those who dwell in the tiers above, and all those who dwell below, the masters who reside there, they shall be obliged to accept this tobacco.' When Ma'nabus became of age, he was ordered to guard and protect the earth. He knew nothing of the mysteries, so Mate Hawatfik, the Greater, saw him, and said to all the gods, "Let us now give les- sons to Ma'nabus so that he can contrive to follow our instructions. Now he is as a child and has no friends. This Ma'- nabus is given to you to be your younger brother." When Ma'nabus heard that he was to have associates, he was pleased. "I am delighted to know it," he said. Presently he felt in his heart that some- one was coming to him that evening. And to his lonely lodge there did come a being. He saw it as it approached, and he thought it a wolf, pure white in color. It came to his mat lodge and entered, and he said, "Sit you yonder, on the opposite side, in the place of honor you be seated."^ The Wolf obeyed, and Ma'nabus then ad- AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 26 MEDICINE CEREMONY dressed him: "Well, my little brother, I am glad you have been sent to me. Your coming makes me happy. I am pleased that you have been given me to care for me. We shall live together, and you shall have one side of this lodge to stay in." It being evening then, Ma'nabus also said: " Let us now sleep, for tomorrow you will have to hunt. Whatever we shall eat then, you must procure for us." Surely enough, on the morrow the Wolf set out to hunt and at noon returned with game. A deer was what he fetched. "Thank you, my little brother! Thank you!" cried Ma'nabus, "Now we will eat!" And again he said these words: "I thank you once more that you have brought food for us to eat, and more so I thank you because you are going to take care of me. Now we will stay here always," he cried to his little brother, "and from here you shall hunt all winter. Now, little brother, to us belongs all this island (the earth), because it has been given us to dwell upon." IV INDIAN NOTES 28 MEDICINE CEREMONY • that there were no gods on earth except- ing him and his little brother!" Then the White Bear gods who live in the very nethermost tier below and who are most powerful of all, when they had heard this, said to the Powers in the tiers above them, "Do now as you wish, using your power and ours." Then the Horned Snakes to whom they had spoken, replied to their masters, be- neath them: "Let us hold a council about what has been said. All gather together and let us decide whether or not to destroy Ma'nabus' little brother, even though we know that Ma'nabus himself is a god, and is so recognized on top of the earth." And they met and decided to murder the brother of Ma'nabus, and it was so decreed. While Ma'nabus slept, he overheard their decision, for their words came to his ears as though they had been uttered near by. In the morning, he arose. " Eh, it is a pity!" he cried. "It is too bad that they have planned it so down below! They have decided to do something to IV INDIAN NOTES 30 MEDICINE CEREMONY to follow you without fail. Do it that way," they said. Then, surely, when the brother of Ma*- nabus went out of the lodge to hunt, he found near the lodge the tracks of one who had just passed. ''Well, this is the one I will now catch," he thought in his heart. When he got just as far away as he could see the shanty, then he started the decoy of the God Powers who was wait- ing for him to come.^^ Then Wolf, brother of Ma'nabus, said as he saw the quarry, "This one is mine; this one in- deed I am going to fetch." The pursuit began slowly at first, the game being ahead, and just a little way out of sight all day, waiting and starting when Little Wolf came along. Toward sunset Wolf began to chase all the harder, and the quarry fled from one end of this island to the other, so fast was the chase. Then Wolf thought, as he ran, "I'll surely get him before the sun sets," and pursued all the more, until he caught up to it and saw it. It was a beautiful animal, as white IV INDIAN NOTES 32 MEDICINE CEREMONY will come of it; I shall cross it, and if any- thing does befall me in the center, I will call to my brother, Ma'nabus, and he will help me out." So thought Wolf, and he decided to cross over on the ice. "It is white, and passable to me; it is safe for me to run across." So he started and ran, and when he got to the center he heard a great noise and roaring. Then the ice broke up in chunks, the water heaved and roared, the whole sea began to stir. He sprang from one cake to another, and yet they still grew smaller. Then, when he saw his end was near, he cried: ''He! Ma'nabus! You have said that you were one of the gods! You have promised to help me, and now I am going to be lost! I shall die! Remember your promise to me!" When Wolf said this, Ma'nabus was seated in his lodge, yet he heard all these words easily, as though they were ut- tered nearby. Ma'nabus glanced at the sun, and it had already set. Then he started, running toward where he heard the cries. Halfway there he was inter- IV INDIAN NOTES ORIGIN MYTH 33 rupted by hearing all the little birds who had gathered in a flock to sing, and this attracted him, so when he reached the shore his little brother had been taken down. The bubbling of the water had ceased and he was too late. He looked, listened, and wondered, but he saw and heard nothing. '' ApapinisiwHg!'' he cried, "I am undone! Those Dwelling Beneath have made away with my little brother! They have prevailed over me. I will go home and lie down and think over this thing in my sleep, so I can learn thoroughly what has happened and de- cide what I can do." Then he dreamed, and with his power he tracked his little brother all over the world, until at last he came to the place where his brother had been drawn down into the sea. Then he went in the morn- ing to each of the great mountains of the world, and to all the caves and holes underneath, seeking for his brother, and asking all the Powers dwelling there if they had seen or heard of his brother. Then he went on to the caves, and at AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M. — IV, 3 7 34 MEDICINE CEREMONY every rocky ledge he went in and saw the Underneath Powers, and asked each, "Have you seen my brother?" and every- one replied, "No, we have not known or seen him." He continued all day, and went to all these places in the world to ask, and in each place they denied all knowledge. On his return to his abode, Ma'nabus thought, "Now I've been everywhere, and they have all said, *No.* Now, I've surely lost my brother; they've taken him away. I thought they had hidden him for a time, but now I see they have killed my dear little brother, the only one I had to comfort me." As he neared the sea he felt something come over him, working upward, and he began to mourn greatly when he saw the place where his brother had disappeared. He began to weep so hard that when he sobbed, at every breath the sea- water re- ceded, until the very Gods Beneath were exposed, and lay visible. When Ma'nabus looked upward and sobbed, the first tier of the Powers Above lowered and quaked. IV INDIAN NOTES ORIGIN MYTH 35 Then said Ma'nabus in his heart: "I shall return when I have finished my cry. I shall wait four days for my brother, and then I shall struggle against the Powers Below and Above. I'll know then what to do, and I'll commence." When he said these words to himself as he traveled, the Powers in the first tier above heard him. When they learned this, they said to each other, "Oh my! Something is happening! It must be that the Powers Below have done something to Ma'nabus, who was left to care for the surface of this earth. Let us tell the Great Power (Mate HawatCik) what we have heard him saying, and that we believe that the Powers Below have injured him. We believe that they have grievously wronged him. Something very serious must have been done," they said to Mate HawatCik, "for his distress shook the earth and all the Powers." Mate Hawattik heard their words and looked, and saw, and knew. "Yes, They Below have caused him trouble. It is true, I have given power to Ma'na- AND MONOGRAPHS IV 36 MEDICINE CEREMONY bus, and he will do what he has threat- ened, for I have helped him. He will whip and draw out the Underneath Powers for revenge." Then he spoke to the Powers Below, and said: **What have you done to Ma'nabus? It seems that you have caused him great trouble and distressed him. The other Powers have told me, and I see that it is so from here." Those Below acknowledged that they had done wrong. "Why did you do it?" asked Mate Hawatdk. "Why did you steal his brother? That is why you will be killed by the power I gave him to use." Then he added, to the offending Pow- ers, "Now hurry, and try to make him satisfied ! You may be able to make him forget his loss by giving him something, some of your medicines, otherwise you will be wiped out!" So the Powers hurried and held a coun- cil and arranged to give the Mitawin to Ma'nabus. They agreed on this. Then the Powers Below came together in the center of the world. There they formed a cylindrical hole, with the Powers Above IV INDIAN NOTES 38 MEDICINE CEREMONY trail about the interior of the lodge with blue paint. Then they stopped and held another council, asking, "What shall we roof the lodge with?" The Power in the north replied,."! will roof the north side," and he furnished a pure white covering. The Power in the south volunteered to help: "I will give you a red covering for the purpose," and he covered the south side with a red cov- ering. Meantime Ma'nabus knew what was going on. The lodge was now done, and he saw it and wondered what it was. So he looked on, thinking, "The time of my mourning is not yet expired, since the Lower and Upper Powers are together." When they had finished roofing the lodge, they stopped again, and Ma'nabus saw and waited to find out what they would do next. Then both Powers held a council to de- cide what they should do further. Both parties entered the lodge. The Powers Below took the north side, the Powers Above chose the south. Then they IV INDIAN NOTES 40 MEDICINE CEREMONY Then they were silent; all the leaders were speechless. At last they called to one off by himself, called Po'sahau [Med- icine-bag], that is, Migik [Otter], and he was chief of all the otters, and white in color. Meantime Ma'nabus watched and lis- tened and knew. He heard the Otter come whistling, and he liked the sound. "Yes, that is the one. He is of the Underground kind, and I shall accept him, I shall answer him, when he comes." While Ma'nabus lay there, verily the Otter opened the door and came in, say- ing: " Ma'nabus I have come to you; they are having a grand council up there, and they have something to show you and to give you. They have sent me to come after you and tell you." When Otter had delivered this message • he turned and left, and Ma'nabus agreed in his heart, arose, opened the mat door, and looked around for Otter. He could not see him until he looked skyward and saw the white Otter far aloft, and nearly out of sight. So he sprang after Otter, IV INDIAN NOTES ORIGIN MYTH 41 and they arose to the first tier of heaven where Ma'nabus stopped a while before the door at the eastern end of the mitdv/- ikomik and looked in. He could see the location of both sides, and he observed the position of the Powers Above and the Powers Below. Ma'nabus thought in his heart that he would go to the side that had caused him his sorrow, and so thinking he entered and walked along the northern side. As he passed, he heard the Powers all speaking to each other, telling their delight that he had decided to come, and their voices made a low rum- bling noise. He passed down the north- ern side to the western door and then up on the southern side to the center, where he halted. " Now, Ma'nabus," they said to him, "go and seat yourself at the east- ern door, where you first entered, on the right side." (Fig. I.) Ma'nabus obeyed, for he thought, "I suppose that that means I must range myself where the Underneath Powers sit." He looked, and behold! their lead- ers were all in the guise of old men there AND MONOGRAPHS IV 42 MEDICINE CEREMONY sitting, and when he drew nigh they ad- dressed him, saying, "Sit here with us," and their very leader himself moved a little to give Ma'nabus room to sit be- tween him and the second one.^^ Then the leader of the four said to him, "You have now seated yourself. Do you see this lodge — its shape, height, condition. % D a * y* Fig. I. — Diagram showing position of the candidate and the officers duiing the first part of the initiation ceremony, (a, pucwdwHk; b, osehauwHk; c, tobacco sacrifice; d— d, eastern and western doors; x, candidate, E, position of drum; , ridge-pole. and the way it is laid out? This has been made for you alone. It is given to you; it is yours, with all that is in it. This we have done to relieve you of the sadness that now oppresses you." The second one now said to him, "Ma'nabus, look over this lodge, examine it, see IV INDIAN NOTES ORIGIN MYTH 43 its contents." Ma'nabus surely obeyed, looking at the painted poles and all the contents, and he fancied it and was sat- isfied. The Powers were seated in the east, ranging to the west and back again to the east (fig. i), and all the old fellows each had their medicine roots and herbs and their megisisHk (medicine beads or seeds) spread out before them. **This is all brought here for you to see and to have, from all the Grandfathers. Both sides, Above and Below, have con- sented to it. They wish to give all this to you, for you to own, to cheer you in your sorrow because they have destroyed your little brother. They beg you to ac- cept this as recompense; then you alone will have profit and reward from it. It will be something great. Take it with- out fail." While Ma'nabus was still seated, the second of the four said to him: "Now Ma'nabus, what is to be given you has been made up by the great Creator, Mate Hawatdk. He said that we must do this for you in order to wipe out your grief. • AND MONOGRAPHS IV 44 MEDICINE CEREMONY You must be contented and happy." Of course, Ma'nabus was further instructed by the two leaders: "Now, Ma'nabus, take pains to listen to this and accept it. You were first made to take care of the earth, and were powerful as a god. You had power with you, and you were of- fended, and this is the way that it is changed with you so that you will be pleased. When you do accept, it will be a great means of favor and help for your parents, the people, from now on for- ever." They added : " You see all the medicines that each Power owns, and they are all for a good use and great. They will all now be given to you. When you take them we will accompany you down yon- der to the next place to be shown these things, and when you take that posi- tion you will receive the entire instruc- tion and initiation. Then the two on the north side arose, and the two on the south side followed, and they came to meet him.i2 The first of the officers called osehauwHk IV INDIAN NOTES ORIGIN MYTH 45 approached Ma'nabus and stood before him, facing the eastern door. He gave Ma'nabus the first medicine-bead (called megise; it is really a small round seed) to swallow, after a long speech and ceremony. The bead was taken from his medicine- bag, and four pinches of medicine were taken and dissolved in water held in a clam-shell (Unio) and given him to swallow. Ma'nabus was given the draft to drink, and his instructor said to him, "This bead shall always remain in your breast." The first osehau now gave way to the second, who came forward to perform, crying, ''Wihihihi! Wihihihi!'' as he came. He paused before Ma'nabus, and bent over and waved his hands before him, while he opened his mouth and con- torted himself until the second megisi worked loose from its place in his back, between his shoulders, and fell on the ground before them. He picked it up and handed it to Ma'nabus. "This is my megisi,'' he said, "I'll put it into you to remain forever." AND MONOGRAPHS IV 46 MEDICINE CEREMONY Holding it in the palm of his hand, he offered it first to the east, then to the south, then to the west, and, last of all, to the north; then he turned his pahu skyward, and downward, offering it to each of the directions. Then he pressed it to Ma'nabus' mouth, and said, "Now swallow it." Ma'nabus did so, and the second as- sistant placed the palm of his hand on Ma'nabus' head, and shook it gently, crying, ''Wihihihi! Wihihihi!'* Then he placed his hand on Ma'nabus' back be- tween his shoulders and rubbed the place, again crying, '^Wihihihi! Wihihihi!'* in order to work the megisi down so that it would lodge in its destined place. This ended the second assistant's work; so the third came before him, offering him blue paint, and saying: "This our paint that I hold I am now going to use to paint Ma'nabus with." He dissolved it in water and added a pinch of a certain med- icine. He then took some of the paint upon the end of his forefinger and re- quested Ma'nabus to look heavenward. IV INDIAN NOTES ORIGIN MYTH 47 When Ma'nabus did so, he painted the round spot in the hollow at the base of his throat, and then a short straight hori- zontal bar across the middle of the top of his forehead. Then the «e€©iia assistant paused, and said, "I have done my part. I have now painted Ma'nabus. This paint represents the sky above and it is also the color that you see inside our lodge." The fourth assistant next came for- ward, saying: "It is up to me now. This is what I have to give Ma'nabus. It is a medicine-bag, and of course it is an otter, like mine. I give you this skin to protect you in 3'^our life. It shall be your life and body, and you at the same time shall put your medicines in it and keep them there — each of those that are given you, and all those that you may later learn or may have revealed to you." Then the fourth assistant passed on. After the four had finished, the leader of the four pucwdwdk (assistants) com- manded: "Now you four are done. Go back to your places." AND MONOGRAPHS IV 48 MEDICINE CEREMONY Then the four pucwdwHk arose and told Ma'nabus to get up with them. The leader said, "You must now follow us as we walk in a circle around the lodge, go- ing down to the western door where we will rest." The leader led off at a slow walk, sing- ing. At the western door he paused and stopped his song. Then he said to Ma'- nabus, *'Now rest here a while and look at your shirt." When Ma'nabus looked he saw his hands, and they appeared shrunken and wrinkled, as though they were very old. Then the leader handed him a cane. "You will have to use this when we go up the other side," he said. They went up the other side, back to the eastern door. "That is enough for me," said the first pucwdo, "but number two will now take you in charge." The second pucwdo now said: "Now, Ma'nabus, I have something to tell you too This is now what is given you by your Grandfathers to take away your grief for your little brother. Therefore IV INDIAN NOTES 50 MEDICINE CEREMONY Then they returned to the eastern door, where the third pucwdo said to him, " Now number four will go on." Again they started and returned in the same manner as before. On their return the fourth pucwdo remarked: " I am done, and now this is what your parents will do as long as the world shall stand. Now look at your shirt." Ma'nabus gazed, and behold! his cane was rotten, and his hands were shriveled with eternal age, and trembled with palsy. Then the fourth pucwdo led Ma'nabus to a seat near the western end of the medicine-lodge. When they got him there and seated him, the seat was like blue velvet. They left him and circled round the lodge to their own place, and the leader spoke to the two osehau- wHk on the south side. He addressed their leader, saying: " It is now your turn. This will be it; you will each throw your megisi to Ma'nabus, who is now seated and waiting." Then the hrst pucwdo circled back round the lodge to his own place. IV INDIAN NOTES 52 MEDICINE CEREMONY said, "Now I shall try to make my megisi drop down." (It was in his back, of course.) He went down in front of Ma'- nabus and stooped over, crying, " Wi- hihi! Wihihi!'' and waving his hands until it fell from his mouth. Then each of his associates followed suit, one by one, and Ma'nabus saw them. Then they circled back round the lodge and re- turned. Then the leader took his megisi in the palm of his hand, and the others did likewise. They held their hands palms upward before them and waved them before their bodies, singing, " Yo- hoho!'' and circling the lodge. When once more before Ma'nabus, they cried, ** Yahaha!'' and all swallowed their megisisHk at once. Then they circled back to the eastern door and sat down, and laid their medicine-bags on the ground before them. Hitherto they had always carried them in their hands. The four osehauwilk had now finished the first part of their work. Their leader then addressed them, say- ing, " I am now going to throw my megisi IV INDIAN NOTES 54 MEDICINE CEREMONY Surely enough, Ma'nabus fell over again, and lay a few moments until the first pucwdOf who still squatted behind him, could revive him. And so they went on, one after the other. The fourth osehauy at his turn, remarked, "I will shoot Ma'- nabus too, and I will leave this also, my medicine-bag, to be his." He sang a while, and circled to the western door when he got half-way through his song. Then he ran down and shot Ma'nabus. Then all four osehauwHk ran toward Ma'- nabus and stopped and walked to him in single file and shot him. Then indeed Ma'nabus lay flat and unconscious. The fourth osehau^ who had promised the po'sahau (medicine-bag) to Ma'na- bus, placed it across his back as he lay there prostrate. Then the first pucwdo^ who had been behind Ma'nabus all this time, said to the four osehau^ "Now go about it and get your megisesiHk out of Ma'nabus." Then all four approached Ma'nabus, two on each side, and two took hold of his head and two of his shoulders. IV INDIAN NOTES 56 MEDICINE CEREMONY the pucwdo cried, "Here's the one who first shot you; now shoot him!" Surely enough, Ma'nabus returned the shot. Then after another circuit, Ma'- nabus swallowed another megise and blew on his bag, seeking for the next one of his shooters, and this he repeated until all four were shot. When Ma'nabus shot the fourth time, or when a candidate shoots today, two different ways are followed. [Appar- ently my instructor meant that there are two versions of this part of the perform- ance, both of which are followed today in the initiation ceremony.] On shoot- ing each of the preceding three, Ma'na- bus made three attempts before actually shooting the megice, but on the fourth round the leader halted him on the third attempt, before he had time to fire his shot, saying, "This is not necessary. Let the megisi you have swallowed re- main in you forever to help, protect, guard you, and bring you long life." Now Ma'nabus was a mitdo (a member of the lodge). Then the first pucwdo ^ IV INDIAN NOTES r 58 MEDICINE CEREMONY these medicines only for a good purpose. Now, to show that you understand, tell your Grandfathers what each is good for." Ma'nabus said in return: "My great Grandfathers, I accept this that you have now given me. If it is really true, and a fact, I shall be glad, and I shall care for the lodge as you have advised me, so that it may help the people in the future. Be very careful on your part. I would not have accepted this for myself alone, as I do not need it. I take it only for my parents, in the future, who will desire it. This medicine tree [a euphemism for the tSwaka, or water-drum, used in the cere- monies of the lodge], you promise, will be heard by the Gods Above and Below whenever and wherever it is sounded. I want you to be careful to remember to listen whenever my parents strike upon it, and assist them as they require, for- ever. I am satisfied, and am pleased with what you now have given me. It shall be good for my parents and their offspring. It is very good. But I shall yet ask you, can you not take away the IV INDIAN NOTES r 60 MEDICINE CEREMONY you everything. Be careful and take great pains to carry out all that we have told you. Do not deceive your parents when you meet them face to face and teach them. Tell them exactly as we told you — why we insist on your being so very careful; and this you must also pass on to your people — that they may repeat our words exactly as we have given them to you, so that we may be able to accept their offerings of tobacco." The great Powers said, also: "Take heed to tell your parents that when they want to give a medicine dance, they must first offer and expose their tobacco for us, but it shall go to you first, and you shall transfer it to us, naming us out, each in order. Then each one of us will know it and see your tobacco, and hear your words and accept it, and will pay atten- tion to your prayers. For instance, if in the future your people should do this when one is in distress and almost ready to die, if they offer their tobacco properly, and call on us, we shall at once try to prolong the life of the one they speak for, IV INDIAN NOTES 62 MEDICINE CEREMONY "The serpent-skin, representing the horned, hairy snakes, shall be the bag of those who know and have that one and its medicines of both good and evil. On the south side shall be chosen the skins of the great birds, and each shall contain their medicines. You must teach your people each kind. Finally, some will have in addition to their bags the skins of bear cubs, of the lynx, the fox, the wolf, the dog, and all these have medi- cines which shall also be present in their regular otter-skin bags. A visible power of animal skin besides the regular bag shall not be necessary; some shall put these medicines in their turbans, or near them elsewhere on their bodies.^^ Next Ma'nabus was given the pa'pewin}^ The Grandfathers said to him: "We give you this in addition to the mitdwin. It is for you to use when there is a funeral ceremony. These images shall have a badge that goes with them to be worn by those who know how to work them, and they shall be called pa'pewin ["the sacred amusement " ; see pi. ii]. They [those who IV INDIAN NOTES 1 r 64 MEDICINE CEREMONY to make it more impressive and cause the candidate to venerate your power the more. Otherwise your young people will not care for the rites after the first year. But when you do this, having seen your power, they will be afraid of it and will preserve their belief." Ma'nabus being taught, heard the Grandfathers say: "Now, Ma'nabus, that is enough for you. We have told you everything and given you everything we have, and it is yours. Now, Ma'nabus, what do you intend to do? We ask if you wish to take it along with you when you depart. Now take it and go away where you belong. We have fitted you out with remedies for your people for the future so that they can exist. And again we say, if you obey and carry it out as we have told you, you will always be right; and your people, if they follow your advice, will have prolonged life and happiness. When you have once told them how to perform the MHdiviwm^ it will last them to the end of time." When Ma nabus heard them, he changed IV INDIAN NOTES 1 ORIGIN MYTH 65 his mind and decided to follow the good way. He gathered all the medicine-bags that lay before him, and the roots. " Yes, I accept. I shall carry all these back to the place whence I came and I will obey your instructions implicitly. I will teach my people and give them what you have given me. All nations alike of my par- ents shall have this for their use." Then Ma'nabus started, and being above, between the earth and the highest heavens, he descended to the world, and he alighted on his feet and stayed there and looked about for a while. Then he cried, "Now, Grandmother, come to me here." His grandmother came to him, and he spoke to her. "Now, Grand- mother, here are the things that my Grandfathers called me to get. Here are the medicine-bags lying side by side, and there are with them medicines of each kind, roots and herbs. All these they gave me. Now it is your turn to look into these things. Examine them and see that they are correct and tell me what you can about them. These medicines AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M. — IV, 5. 66 MEDICINE CEREMONY and the bags before you are for the pur- pose of benefiting my future parents, whom you and I must teach, so I am go- ing to transfer them to you, that you may go over them and finish them, that man- kind may be assisted in sickness, and health restored to them. You, Grand- mother, shall take care of these medi- cines." (My instructor explained that this meant that the Grandmother, who is the earth herself personified, should take charge of the roots and allow them to grow in her own body.) Ma'nabus then said further: "All these shall be in your care to grow in the ground. My parents in the future, when they want a root from your store, shall have to buy the knowledge of it from each other, and to pay for it. The per- son who buys the root, when he digs it from the earth, must place tobacco in the hole from which the root was taken, as a sacrifice to the herb that grew there, and when this is done the tobacco shall come to you. Grandma,*^ who have roots in charge as your reward. And when IV INDIAN NOTES > ORIGIN MYTH 67 you hear and know and receive that to- bacco, Grandma, you shall then add your power to the medicine to make it have a stronger effect upon the sick one for whom it is desired. You too will help in bringing it about that the patient shall have relief, and it shall be of bene- fit to my human kind." Then the Grandma cried : " It is good of you, my child, Ma'nabus. It is well that you have accepted the gift offered you by your Grandfathers, and I thank you again for having secured that which will make your parents live on the earth, for if you had not procured it, your future people could not have existed in any way whatsoever. Grandson, look at yourself. In your own case, when you were alone on the earth, how you were treated when your only brother was taken away from you, and how much less could your people in the future have existed without help?" Then also she said to Ma'nabus: "Grandson," she called him, "you have done well to come to me to gain my AND MONOGRAPHS IV 68 MEDICINE CEREMONY assistance. I gave you what you desired and have fulfilled my part toward you. It is all for your future parents who shall live hereafter. It shall be youi» duty, and I warn you to be very careful that that which has been given and taught you must be passed down to them exactly as you have received it. Do not deceive your people by telling them anything wrong about these herbs and medicines. Do not exaggerate their powers. Just tell them as it was told to you." "0, n^hau noko\ wd' waning'' cried Ma*- nabus, "for what you have told me that shall come in the future. I shall do just as you have told nie to do with them. I shall go and visit each nation personally, to tell and show them these things and how to use them. In a short time I shall begin in earnest with my people, but now for a little while I shall remain here with you to test these medicines myself, and to learn them better." Then Ma'nabus and his Grandmother erected a medicine-lodge and they started to try out the things among themselves. IV INDIAN NOTES ORIGIN MYTH Ma'nabus laid all the medicine-bags in a row on the ground in the order that he had been taught, and he placed the proper medicines in front of each one, while his Grandmother made ready to assist him. Ma'nabus picked up the otter bag first and held it in his hand while he walked the circle. As he went about, he shook the bag and repeated, " Wahahaha^ wahahaha!" [My instructor said that these words meant "Take it, take it!"] He showed his Grandmother how it was done. When he got back to the place whence he had taken the otter, he put it down again, and as soon as he had laid it on the ground the bag shook and moved until it almost got up, and they saw it. [At this place, as in other passages the import of which is considered very sacred, my instructor arose, placed his hand on my shoulder, and whispered the words to me.] '* Now, I have done my part and have finished. It is your turn. Grandma. Take up the bag and go around with it as you saw me do, and as you do so, try AND IVIONOGRAPHS 69 IV 70 MEDICINE CEREMONY • to make the otter squeal as it does in nature.'* Surely enough, Grandma took it and pointed it, and when she got in the middle of the lodge the otter whistled and Grandmother returned with the otter and placed it where she got it. "iV'/^aw, Ma'nabus,'* said she, "You have just said that you wanted the otter to do this and you heard it obey. It shall be that way in the future when your uncles and aunts use such a bag; they shall make it whistle." 17 Then the two finished testing the gifts that had come fresh from the great Grandfathers who made them and had given them. Then Grandmother said to Ma'nabus, "We have done; we have fin- ished." Ma'nabus replied, "Grand- mother, surely enough, they have truly given it to me. We have seen it act and we have heard it." After this a few years elapsed, then Ma nabus returned to his Grandmother and said, "This coming spring. Grandma, I am going to begin to teach my parents and show them everything as I was told IV INDIAN NOTES r 72 MEDICINE CEREMONY With these words Ma'nabus started off for the Menominee river and arrived at a point called Pimita'kifi. [My in- structor said that the point referred to is a hill near the river and at right angles to the water. The name means "a hill ly- ing crosswise."] There Ma'nabus ar- rived and waited with his power, saying to himself: " I desire the oldest member of this tribe to come to me. I direct my power to him. He shall come and find me here." The wish of Ma'nabus was so powerful that the old man was con- strained to approach. Soon Ma'nabus saw him draw nigh and he dodged behind the hill. The Indian came up on the other side and when he reached the top he stood there. Then Ma'nabus showed himself, and said, "Come here to me, my uncle." The Indian stood there in astonishment to see someone whom he did not know and had never seen before. "Come here, my uncle; it is I, Ma'nabus, and I want to see you and talk to you." Then the Indian came to him, and Ma'nabus told him IV INDIAN NOTES 74 MEDICINE CEREMONY to prolong your lives and prevail over all distress that may fall upon you, because in the beginning it was not decided by the gods how you might continue to live, but by use of this that I now speak of and give you, you shall be helped to see your own gray hairs, according to the desire of my Grandfathers who sent it to you through me." "Oh, indeed!" cried the Indian. "If this be true, it is good, and since you show me, I see that it is really truth. If I prove it to be so, it will then be good for us. »» "Then," said Ma'nabus, "my uncle, I will now begin to show you. I will do this first to explain it. I shall outline the lodge, its shape, and its way. Come here, uncle, to me. Stand near me, be- hind my back. You shall follow me in my footsteps, for I am going to outline it and show you the lodge." Then Ma'nabus turned and faced the west and walked for a certain distance; and behind him the grass vanished for his uncle to see. It looked like a well- IV INDIAN NOTES "^ ORIGIN MYTH 75 beaten, bare trail. [My instructor as- sured me in an aside that this refers to the deep trodden path worn by the dan- cers in the medicine-lodge.] When Ma'- nabus had gone a short distance, he stopped. "Here is a door called the * west-end door,' which faces the sunset," said Ma'nabus to his uncle; and he started and turned, going back on the south side until he came to the place where he had begun on the east, and there he stopped and stood. " Here is a door, the entrance door," said Ma'nabus, and he showed the Indian the exact width that it was to be. "And also the other door shall be the same width," he said. He circled, again carefully showing the Indian. "At this distance apart you will stand the poles," and he told the old man the width and length that the lodge was to be. He showed the Indian how to bend the poles over and make them meet. "You will have to have cross-poles and tie them with basswood string," he said, and he showed the Indian and told him how high the lodge should be. "A little bit AND MONOGRAPHS IV 76 MEDICINE CEREMONY higher than an ordinary wigwam, suf- ficient to stand and walk in," he added. You have cattail mats (upd'kiHk) of your own at home; fetch them here and use them as a covering for the building. They should be carefully tied on." "I have now outlined and finished this, and you and I shall depart. But I shall come again to see you and tell you more. By that time you will have the building finished and made in the uianner I have explained. In the meantime you will call the people and explain to them in full as I have told you. This is the real truth, and you are not deceived, and I shall be here surely on the fourth day, with this otter medicine-bag which you see in my hand, which my great Grand- fathers gave me. In it are all kinds of powerful medicines. MegisesHk of several kinds are in it, and it will be your duty to gather the people and make them be- lieve what I have told you, and see that they all come here and meet at this lodge. When I know that they have arrived I shall come here on that fourth day to IV INDIAN NOTES 78 MEDICINE CEREMONY lives; and the Grandfathers themselves would be pleased whenever the ceremony was given and would hasten to aid the people. The old Menomini told them how his nephew had outlined the lodge and that they would have to erect it within the four days allotted to them, and that their nephew would come to them. When they heard this news, all the Indians said to him, "Is this true? Is this real? Did you indeed see our nephew?" **Yes, I have seen our nephew," he said. " He said this to me, and he showed me an otter-skin, and told me all that too, and added that when he came on the fourth day to meet us at the lodge which we will build for him, he would show us the same otter-skin medicine-bag and teach us about it." When the old Indian had said his say, all the multitude cried out, "We will go tomorrow and build the medicine-lodge. We will see the place at the same time, and view for ourselves what Ma'nabus IV INDIAN NOTES ORIGIN MYTH 79 outlined and showed to our old man there. When we see it and learn for our- selves that it is so, we will indeed put up this lodge." So the next day the old man led his people there, and when they had arrived at the place, the Indian said to the other old men present, his relatives and friends, This is the very spot where I met our nephew, Ma'nabus, and the sign lies here, — the outline of the lodge where he showed me how it must be made, — and we must now follow his directions as I was instructed." All the people be- lieved then, because verily they saw the tracks of Ma'nabus, and the beaten path, and they cried, "This is the truth!" "Well then," said the old man, "let us begin right away and do it as he has shown me. There are his marks where he told me to drive the stakes. Let us hurry to have it done within the time appointed." Then they fell to work all together, and since there were many of them, they finished the lodge complete and ready for AND MONOGRAPHS IV , I I i I] 'i 80 MEDICINE CEREMONY use within one day. " We are now done," said the old leader, "and our nephew promised to be here at a certain time. So we must be ready and waiting to re- ceive him." On the fourth day Ma'nabus came as he had agreed. Then when the sun was nearly set he approached with his water- drum and stood on the same place where he was first seen, on the hilltop, and re- mained there. The old man saw him and beckoned to him and went part way to meet him. **Are you now ready?" asked Ma'nabus. "Yes," replied the elder. "I must say to you, all being together, to tell your young people up to those of middle age to go back to their homes. Only you old men remain at the lodge, and I will come presently." After a time Ma'nabus proceeded to the tent, where the old man met him and told him that the younger people had been sent away. "It is well," said Ma'- nabus, and he approached the building and entered at the eastern door and stood IV INDIAN NOTES 82 MEDICINE CEREMONY my initiation, and sing and drum the whole night; and early in the morning, when the sun is even with the tops of the trees [about six o'clock], then divide the lodge in two at the center with a partition just east of the place where the four as- sistants [osehauwHk] are seated." Then Ma'nabus told of the two Powers from the north, and the two Powers from the south, who had assisted him, and placed them east of the partition. The first one had given the medicine drink to Ma'nabus. The second one had fur- nished the megisi from his own body. Ma'nabus explained all this and did all these things to the people as they had been done for him, he being full teacher and performing each part himself, and they all imitated him. He painted them and gave them medicine-bags. Ma'nabus told his uncles, or parents, that his Grandfathers had kept him in the lodge four days. "And you, my uncles," said he, "will do the same. In the meantime I shall learn more roots and medicines to teach you." IV INDIAN NOTES 84 MEDICINE CEREMONY • Opinion that the heat and violent change of temperature affected those who were old and in ill health. So the Indians have substituted an entirely different method of procedure. In former days the sweat-house was erected close to the mitdw'ikomik. The pucwdwHk entered one at a time. A stone about two feet square was heated and brought into the sudatory. The priest then poured medicated water on it, and as the dense steam arose he held his hand over his mouth and cried, " We- hohohohof' while he poured. Water was poured over the stone four times, and then a small hole was made in the cover of the sudatory at the top, to let the steam escape and ascend to Ma'nabus and the gods above. Nowadays a stone of about the same shape as, but smaller than, that formerly used, is taken and painted with the sa- cred blue paint to symbolize the holy vapor of the sweat-bath. This is in the western or in the southern end of the lodge (for under certain circumstances IV INDIAN NOTES S6 MEDICINE CEREMONY necessary knowledge, he procures still greater gifts and turns them over to his instructors with the request that the in- itiation ceremony be held, that he may become a member. His instructors, who must be leaders in the ceremony, send out invitations and the building is pre- pared (pi. III). The ceremony opens in the evening with a speech by the first osehaUy which is: "I offer this tobacco to Ma'nabus and the four Grandfathers, chief of the Powers Above, who are seated about the celestial cylinder. ^^ Also to those beneath the world, the four chiefs underneath, and the servants of all the gods must accept my offering. Now this building has been prepared for its duty." The speaker then turns to the pile of gifts, and says: "We will hang these goods on the ridge-pole which has been prepared [fig. i]. If my great Grandfathers have told the truth to me, it will come to pass as they have promised when I repeat what they have said about these presents. "I am now going to thank the great IV INDIAN NOTES ( INITIATION Powers for the people whom they have befriended, and I myself must thank them. Here on the ridge-pole of the lodge are placed these blankets and pres- ents for payment to us, as the great Grandfathers and IVIa'nabus have com- manded." The speaker now takes up the gourd rattle and begins to chant to its ac- companiment. "Now I will repeat what I am supposed to say about being thank- ful for the ridge-pole and the goods that hang from it, that are given to us by Ma'- nabus and the great Grandfathers. I will repeat it so that I shall be heard." He then sings — TayaMhd akotcikanehihi Tayahdhd akotcikanehihi Wina nikanau pahaha Wina nikanau pahaha Wehohohoho wehohohoho Siya akotcikane (The meaning of this song is, "We are now going to hang our goods.") Then he rises and moves the gifts toward the ridge-pole. The second osehau follows 87 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 88 MEDICINE CEREMONY in turn, first singing and then moving the gifts, and so on to the third and fourth. The presents are then all ready to be hung up in plain view, by servants appointed beforehand. When the goods have been hung, the osehauwHk and pucwdwHk tell the candi- date the teachings of Ma'nabus during the entire night. Just at dawn they cease, and the first pucwdo announces that it is time for recess, so all go out and eat. At six o'clock, or, according to In- dian reckoning, when the sun is tree high, the servants hang a curtain across the eastern end of the lodge, just east of where the osehauwHk are seated, and the second part of the initiation is commenced east of the curtain. The four osehauwHk enter with the candidate and give him the medicines to drink, and the megishiik, as they were given Ma'nabus. After this the head-man or first pucwdo orders another recess. During the recess the four pucwdwHk sing to the time of the water-drum, and at the second pause in the music, two of the osehauwHk return. IV INDIAN NOTES 90 MEDICINE CEREMONY • is on the south side of the lodge in the center. After this, tobacco is placed in front for the four pucwdwHk, and they spread it out on a piece of bright-colored cloth and set it down to be placed in the center of the lodge between the four osehauwUk. Then the first pucwdo rises, and says, "We have transferred our tobacco to the center, and it is the turn of the two osehauwHk on the north side to speak to it. This they do; the first one prays to Ma'nabus, then to the four Powers Above and the four Powers Below. He sings a thanksgiving song for the tobacco and sits down. The prayer is as follows: *'We who are gathered here offer this tobacco to you, Ma'nabus, and through you to your Grandfathers, the Powers Above and Powers Below, especially to those Pure White Ones, chiefs of the nethermost tiers, because it was they who gave this Mitdwin to Ma'nabus in order to assuage his grief and suffering for his little brother, whom they had stolen away. And you too of the Fowl Kind, IV INDIAN NOTES ' \ INITIATION 91 sacred and important birds of the air who guard us, you too assisted in giving this lodge to our nephew Ma'nabus. And you too, Great Sun, who are a ser- vant to Mate Hawatfik, our creator, who watches over us during the day until darkness, when the evil spirits appear and roam about. All of you come nigh and partake of this sacrifice." Servants place a heap of tobacco in the center of the lodge on the ground near the osehauwUkt the head officer of whom makes the speech. Afterward this to- bacco is referred to as ** blue tobacco," to signify that it has been accepted and partaken of in essence by the Powers. The other osehau likewise sings a song in praise and in honor of the tobacco, after which he passes the work over to the two officers opposite them. The leader of these then says, "I shall talk, and afterward we shall all smoke." When the two have finished their speeches, the servants arise and divide the tobacco, afterward passing it on AND MONOGRAPHS IV 92 MEDICINE CEREMONY through the lodge, and ceremonial smok- ing is indulged in by all present. Now the third and fourth osehauwHk, who have been permitted a short recess during the tobacco ceremony, enter. The third sings and then passes the work on to the fourth, who gives a short song. Then the first pucwdo remarks, " Now we will begin," and all four arise, ordering the candidate, who is seated between the first and second pucwdowdk, to join them. The leader then speaks, and explains to the candidate about the seat in the west- ern end of the lodge, which symbolizes the place where Ma'nabus sat during his initiation. He then sings a song. This song, from another member of the lodge than the regular instructor, however, is as follows: Kina wehekwUnau Mitdwindnii kinatawe hekwUnau. You medicine-men are giving this to us. You make us have this. At the close of this song, and in fact after every song and speech used in the ceremony, the performer cries out: IV INDIAN NOTES 94 MEDICINE CEREMONY Then the two osehauwHk on the north are told by the pucwdwHk who are speak- ing to them, "You will now begin." The four pucwdwdk return to their places. Then all present arise and circle about the lodge, coaxing the four osehauwCik in order to help them get their megisesHk, The first of the osehauwdk says, "Now I shall try to get my megise loose." So he N ,^' e. D - 3 « --B Oc a yt -.B M a Fig. 2. — Diagram of the building during the shooting ceremony, (a, pucwdwHk; b, b, first and second posi- tions of osehauioUk during the shooting; m, traditional position of Ma'nSlbus during the first part of the rites; +, position of candidate during the preliminary rite; c, position of candidate during the shooting ceremony.) sings a song to work it free from his body. When he is finished, he orders his next companion to do the same, and so on until all four are finished. Meantime blankets have been spread IV INDIAN NOTES 1 INITIATION 95 before the candidate, one over another. By this time the four have finished sing- ing and they then circle four times about the lodge, crying " Yahahahaha!'' As the four circle, the leader conies to the end of the pile of blankets, with the others behind them, in two rows on each side of the lodge. Each bends over, waves his hand, and cries until the megisi falls out of his mouth. The servants are then ordered to examine the megisesHk to see what position they occupy, for the megisesHk have two sides, a right and a wrong, and if the servants report that most of them are right-side up, it is a good omen. After this the leader starts off, and they circle round the lodge. When they return, the leader picks up his megise^ and so do the others, men and women, who hold them in the palms of their hands, waving them backward and for- ward for all to see. All cry, " Yoho!'' and circle once more. When they draw oppo- site the candidate, each in turn swallows his or her bead. Then the leader circles AND MONOGRAPHS IV 96 MEDICINE CEREMONY ■ once more and returns to his own place at the eastern door, and each person takes his own place. One of the per- formers, the first pucwdOy holds the candi- date from behind, as was done to Ma'- nabus. The first osehau then says, "I will now throw the megisi to him, he to receive it and be our child." Taking the otter bag in his hand, he runs toward the seated candidate, crying, " Yahaha!'' and shoots the megisi into him. The candi- date flinches, to show that he has been struck. This is repeated by each of the osehauwUk. The force of the last shot knocks the candidate prone. The fourth osehau, who is the one to furnish the medicine-bag, lays his bag on the back of the candidate, who is pros- trate on his face, and leaves it there. The leader now orders the candidate re- vived, so the four osehauwHk approach him, seize him by the hips and shoulders, crying, ** Yohehehe!^^ and shake him un- til the megise falls from his mouth. The candidate is first seated at the sacred seat at noon exactly, because that IV INDIAN NOTES 1 INITIATION 97 is the time when the sun stops on its journey to look down at the world, and the ceremony ceases at nightfall. The shooting part which we have just described ends just a little after noon, and there is now a pause to feast on food which is brought in, the food being pro- vided by the candidate. During all the previous part of the performance the water-drum has been kept at the eastern door, but just after the feast it is carried around and given to the two on the north side of the lodge. The leader then be- gins to drum, and sings four sacred songs. He then pauses and strikes up another four, while the women dance. His com- panion then sings four more, during which the women merely rise and dance in their places. The candidate all this time stands beside the drummers, having cir- cled, from his place with the pucwdwUky round the lodge to them. The drum is then passed to the second osehau on the north side, who repeats the four sacred songs, during which there is no dancing. He then begins four more, when the AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M. — IV, 7. r 98 MEDICINE CEREMONY women once more rise and dance. The candidate, who has returned to his old place at the conclusion of the singing by the first osehau on the north, now comes back and stands in front of the drum. At the conclusion of the singing and dancing the servants carry the drum round the lodge, crying ''HihihihW while they beat it; they also sing — Askipakisit sawtcihim. Blue one I ask you. It is left with the osehauwHk on the south side, who repeat the performance just described, except that in the second set of four songs sung by each, the men also join with the women and dance. This has taken so long that the sun is almost down. The drum is now carried to the eastern door and placed in the middle of the lodge door. The two ose- hauwHk circle on the north side, come around, and are joined by the two on the south, who go to the eastern door, and all stand in a row across the eastern door of the lodge. Here they all sing a sacred IV INDIAN NOTES INITIATION 99 song together, and all those present arise and dance. The members while dancing circle about the lodge, and all shoot each other with their medicine-bags, the can- didate mingling with the rest in the gen- eral shooting. Drumming and sing- ing are also performed by various im- portant members of the lodge, who have been designated by the candidate to re- ceive presents. These men and women are personages whose only part in the per- formance has been to cough up megisesdk before the candidate has been shot the first time. There are about twenty or thirty of these. The hour is now about four o'clock. [Here my instructor paused to remark that, in the Obliteration Cere- mony for the dead, this is the time when the performers proceed to the grave. The drum is carried down to the cemetery from the lodge and all shoot each other as they go.] All the members cease their perform- ance and sit down; then the pucwdwHk rise, go to the ridge-pole, and take down the offerings of the candidate, which are - AND MONOGRAPHS IV 100 MEDICINE CEREMONY blankets, strouding, calicoes, mats, bead- work, and other desirable things. They then circle about the lodge with the goods, and the candidate joins them. As they circle they dance and sing songs of thanks- giving. The leader then says, at the con- clusion of this dance, " Now the candidate will distribute these goods to you," and they walk round the lodge again with the candidate in the lead. Each of the puc- wdwHk holds a blanket. They stop in front of the osehauwHk^ and the leader hands a blanket to the candidate, who gives it to the first osehau, and so on. Those who retched up the megisesHk re- ceive smaller presents. When the gifts have been distributed, the pucwdwHk circle about the lodge once more with the candidate, and then order him to sit on the north side of the two osehauwi,k there. The pucwdwHk con- tinue to go about handing out smaller gifts. The sun is now nearly set, and the leaders take their places. They re- ceive none of the gifts. Then the first and third osehawuHlk, that is, the two IV INDIAN NOTES PRIVATE MEMORIAL 101 leaders on each side of the lodge, arise and say, "We have finished," and it is now understood that they are to lead the crowd out of the eastern and western doors. The four pucwdwHk are to stay behind with the candidate. The two leaders on the north side proceed to the eastern door, followed by all the members seated on that side of the lodge. The two on the south go to the western door. At the western door the two leaders re- cite the reason for the ceremony. They then sing, and are joined by the two leaders at the eastern door. The songs are songs of thanksgiving because the candidate has received new life. They are sung loud enough for the Powers to hear. The two lines now about-face, pass out of opposite doors, and the ceremony is over. THE JEBAINOKE. OR PRIVATE MEMO- RIAL CEREMONY. FOR MEMBERS OF THE LODGE This is the second great function of the medicine-lodge as known to the Menom- AND MONOGRAPHS IV 102 MEDICINE CEREMONY ini. I have called it a private ceremony in order to distinguish it from the Uswi- nauamikdsko, or Obliteration Ceremony, the public performance for noted mem- bers of the lodge. This is one of the most difficult parts of the Mitdwin ritual to obtain, inasmuch as it is secret, and extremely unlucky to discuss, except at the time of the funeral. It is thought that if these things are spoken about when everyone is well, a death is certain to ensue. In beginning my instruction in this part, my tutor again made an offering of tobacco, which he directed to Na^patao, calling him "Younger brother of Ma'na- bus, who has gone to the west." He next directed tobacco to the shades of the dead who have gone on to the same place ahead of us, referring to those who died first, after the rites were introduced. He further explained that this ritual is an arm or branch of the lodge, and that the myth accounting for its origin forks off at the place where Ma'nabus' little brother was lost. The myth is as follows: IV INDIAN NOTES PRIVATE MEMORIAL 103 Ma'nabus said, when he at last realized that his brother was dead, "I shall now wait four days to see if my brother will return." On the night of the fourth he said to himself as he lay down to rest, " Now is the time that he ought to come to me." When Ma'nabus was almost dozing off, he began to feel and know that his brother Na^patao was approaching. In the meantime Ma'nabus thought that if his brother did return to him, in his own body in a natural way, just as when he had first left, it would be well. So he looked and waited, but he saw only the shade of Na^patao, like a shadow cast by the moonlight. Ma'nabus sat up to look more closely, and when he saw his little brother's nature was changed, he arose and cried out to the shade, which was outside a little way, "Stop where you arel" Then Ma'nabus cried: "Alas, little brother, I had supposed you had gone only for a short time, and would return to me in a natural way; I had thought that those Powers might have wanted to keep you only a little while and then let AND MONOGRAPHS IV 104 MEDICINE CEREMONY you return. But now you are disgusting to my sight, and therefore have turned my mind so I shall not let you enter my lodge in your present condition. Now, my little brother, I have decided what I shall do. Little brother, you will have to continue on your journey. Follow the sun's course to the west, where it sets, and go on a little farther; a little bit to the north of that place where the sun goes down shall be your abode." Then Na^patao answered Ma'nabus and said, "Oh, alas, this is too bad, that you are now doing, by ordering me to continue my journey to that place! It will hurt our uncles and aunts in the future. The better way would have been, when our parents were niissing or lost, to allow them to return to life on the fourth day, just as I have done." Then Ma'nabus said to his little brother, "No, it is my earnest intention to do as I have ordered you. I have planned it that way and I cannot change it. It would not be good to do as you say, for the benefit of our parents to come. IV INDIAN NOTES PRIVATE MEMORIAL 105 and, moreover, the gods, the four gods under us, those nearest the surface, they have planned it this way with their ter- rible power. They have done this to you and to me, and have made it so. It cannot be bettered because they have conquered us from the very beginning; and I tell you this, my little brother, be- cause the day has already passed with me that you were lost and I missed you. I looked for you the next day and la- mented, and wept, and inquired for you all over the whole world, and in so doing I showed my grief so that all the great Grandfathers, the Powers that lay be- tween heaven and earth, and all the Pow- ers beneath, have heard me in my sorrow and in my anguish, and that is why I re- fuse to receive you. I must have re- venge upon them, and let them know that I am powerful on earth. I cannot turn back now, so I order you to take your course right on. Na^patao, my younger brother, I might accept you, but cannot and will not, because if I do take you in your present condition, within a AND MONOGRAPHS IV 106 MEDICINE CEREMONY short time more trouble will be made for us by the same evil powers who hurt me, and I therefore insist on making an end of it. Moreover, if you are accepted in your shade it will be dreadful for your parents to return that way in the future, so keep on your way, Na^patao." Na^patao replied: "You have told me all that you want me to do and made me understand it, so I now choose to obey you in every particular ; but you must instruct me further how to proceed to this place, since you have power and must know all the things that I have to do. I bow to your will. It is good." Ma'nabus answered: "Well done, my dear little brother. Now I shall provide for you. You shall have our fire from earth." Ma'nabus took a brand from the fire and handed it out to Na^patao. "Here, I give you this to take along with you to the place where you are going. Now, little brother, be very careful to do rightly what I am about to tell you. Make no mistake, because, if you do, it will be of great harm to our parents in the IV INDIAN NOTES PRIVATE MEMORIAL 107 future, as they will suffer and derive no benefit; but if you accomplish all that I say, it shall be good for them. This is what it is: As you have determined to go where I have ordered, you shall clear their road for them, and make good the path that they shall have to follow in the future." Then said Ma'nabus to Na^patao: "As you are now about ready to take your departure, my little brother, I order you to make a visible open path. Make four plain spaces that can be seen.'* And surely enough there were already marked on the clear white sands, four tracks where Na^patao started. Ma'nabus added: * 'After you make those four spaces, arrange it so that the trail will be good and cannot be missed. At intervals cause beautiful flowers to spring up and mark the road. This I ask you, so that our future parents may easily trace you and see the open road, and also that the babies may be lured on and kept in the path by the sight of the pretty blossoms, until they reach the goal that they are a AND MONOGRAPHS IV 108 MEDICINE CEREMONY headed for. If you do this at my order it shall be well done, and will redound to the benefit of our relatives.'* Then Na^patao started, and Ma'nabus, listening, heard his footsteps dying away in the distance, and when he had gone a little way Ma'nabus heard him weeping and singing, and when he heard Na^patao doing this it made the heart of Ma'nabus heavy; then the sound of his brother's wailing died away,and Ma'nabus began to be overcome by a feeling that commenced at his belt and worked up to his heart, and he cried aloud in sad- ness and despair at the parting. After a time Ma'nabus stopped and thought a while of his little brother, and what he had said in refusing him and ordering him on, and he considered what his little brother had said in return, and his sorrow was the greater. ''Alas, if I had listened to my younger brother, my present sad- ness would not have been!" he said to himself. At length he ceased his lament- ing and thought it over again. "Oh, my little brother!" he wailed. "Well, I will IV INDIAN NOTES PRIVATE MEMORIAL 109 wait a short time, and then I will follow you and track you, and will go and see what you have done to mark off the way as I told you. I shall learn how you prepared the resting place I ordered you to make.'* After a while Ma'nabus rested again in his sadness. He even thought of how happy they had once been together, and the disaster that had overtaken them, and his sorrow broke out afresh. Then Ma'nabus said to himself: *T shall try to make it all up again by trailing my little brother. I must follow him and see where he has gone, for the sight of him will do me good.'* So Ma'nabus started, and he saw his brother's trail, and groaned: **This is the very place where my brother started from. I shall go and see where he stood when we conversed." He went, and surely enough he observed where his brother had stood, for the white earth from under- neath was exposed. "Yes, truly, he has obeyed me," thought Ma'nabus, and he followed the path, and the trail was very AND MONOGRAPHS IV no MEDICINE CEREMONY open, straight, and visible. It led up over a rise to the westward, and finally, as he journeyed he saw it bear off a little to the north as he had commanded, and Ma'nabus saw and was fully satisfied with the way the trail opened for him — it was so well and plainly marked. As he traveled he saw the flowers he had commanded, growing along the sides of the road for the traveling souls to admire. As he went on, everything he saw was satisfactory. At last Ma'nabus arrived where his little brother was, and that was beyond the sunset, to the north, where he saw a large, grand lodge erected. "This too is my brother's doing, as I told him," said Ma'nabus. When he was almost at the lodge, his brother, who was within, knew it, and came to meet him. "Stop right where you are," cried his little brother. "Why do you come here with your whole natural body? Remember what you said to me when I returned to you in my shade, and you rebuked me and said it was not right." IV INDIAN NOTES ^ PRIVATE MEMORIAL 111 Ma'nabus replied: " No, brother, I came here only to see you and to learn whether you had obeyed my orders. I am here to give you further commands. Know then, what shall be. If the earth con- tinues to exist there shall be more of our parents, and if they multiply and die they then will come here. There will be very many of them. You are already here and prepared. It is good, and it shall be taught to our parents while they are still alive, and it shall be repeated also to those who have just died. This should be done to them at their graves." And Ma'nabus added: "Once more I carefully warn you, telling you what you must sed- ulously observe for our parents. Some of our relatives will be bad, their lives evil and deceitful, dishonest; or witches, harming their own people; murderers, all of these will come here, where we now stand talking, and when they arrive, do not let them pass; but all those who are good, just, and live righteous lives, you must mercifully accept. That is what I came here purposely to tell you, because AND MONOGRAPHS IV 112 MEDICINE CEREMONY I want you to learn it all from me. Of course, there shall be some of them jour- neying from time to time; old and young will arrive. Some will be very aged, and you shall know them by their way, who were unrighteous and disobedient. Do not let them by. Send them back, away from here. But it is your duty to pass those who are just, and to take them and make them happy. I beg you to listen to me about another thing, and I warn you strongly. It is this: The people who are to come shall be good, and they shall have descendants who may be good too, and they shall receive shades as you did, and shall come to you to be accepted and admitted into your beautiful lodge to live with you. In the meantime they shall have left behind some dear ones who shall mourn them, and they shall occasionally perform a medicine dance, and in it shall have a separate sacrifice to the one who left, and is living with you. When they do that, you must hear them entreat you, and when this occurs, dear little brother, dismiss the shade that is IV INDIAN NOTES PRIVATE MEMORIAL 113 called for, and allow it to go back to the earth to receive the sacrifice. Let it be there long enough for that, and when you do that, you will be very good and wise, and you too will receive a share in the offering: goods, tobacco, and feast." Then Ma'nabus said to Na^patao, "Also take note of all this and be very careful. Our parents will keep coming, and especially the little innocent ones; when they die on the earth, you will note it, and see it from here; and our relatives inside the lodge, who have long ago been alive, must be told that there is one yon- der on its way here, and because it is of their blood, kind, and people, and comes from where they too lived once, they must go out and meet it on the way, and shake hands. with it and kiss it, to show their joy at the meeting. Another thing that you must do," Ma'nabus added, "that I order you to do when those parents of ours come here, you too must meet them at the door. You must give them a fresh drink of your medicine, to revive, purify, and purge them. This will take away % AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M. — IV, 8. 114 MEDICINE CEREMONY their earthly knowledge and give them new and heavenly understanding which is not quite as full and strong as theirs, yet of a different nature from what they had before. Moreover, be very careful to note that all those who come here are received and used well and cared for, for here you are the chief, who is supposed to have charge over them, and I, yonder where I am, I will care for the living ones. They shall direct prayers to you, know- ing that you are here, and you shall have the power to know and hear them. Al- ways have mercy on them and carry out what is desired of you. This I tell you to observe without fail. For my part, I shall be opposite in the east, and I shall care for the living ones of the earth. They shall petition me and ask me favors, and when they mention me, I shall never refuse them. I will do my part well, and you do yours, for those who desire it. " Now, my little brother, observe these things that I came to tell you. Care for those who have once lived on earth, who afterward left their bodies and came to IV INDIAN NOTES PRIVATE MEMORIAL 115 you in their shades, and this shall con- tinue as long as the world and its people shall exist. I am now done with you, my little brother. I shall return and leave you for good. I shall never come back to you any more, but I came to you this one time to see you, and tell you what I wanted done, and you were right in rebuking me for appearing in my whole and natural form. Yet, I did not want to come as a shade, but in iny body, as I was when last we met. So you must for- give me this once, for it had so been ordained. Hereafter you will always re- ceive our relatives as shades after the breath of life has left their bodies." Now Na^patao answered: "It is well. All is done and said, and I understand; but one thing I am not well pleased with, and that is that you came here in your human body against our plans; you your- self have broken the law by so doing. I fear that your action may harm our rela- tives, or cause them to come here in that way.'* Ma*nabus replied: "What you have AND MONOGRAPHS IV 116 MEDICINE CEREMONY said is in one way true. You see it and think it that way, for I have made you discontented; but I understand it quite differently. I am not the same as our relatives. I came this way to explain it to you. You fear that our relatives may hereafter appear in this form because I did, but I shall never allow it to happen. They will come to you after their deaths only, never in any other manner." Ma'- nabus said again: "I am always careful to tell you only the truth, and I say it over again, that it shall only be those of our parents now on earth who have been good, whom you are to receive in their shades. And first of all, those who died before you, will come here, and the ones whom you will admit are those who chose to live righteously, who were not lazy, thieves, liars, witches, or murderers. To those, and to those who come later, you shall give this privilege. You shall some- times dismiss one of them and allow it to enter the womb of some good living woman, to be born again. This is the order of Mate Hawatiik, sent us through IV INDIAN NOTES ^ PRIVATE MEMORIAL 117 the Powers Above, who are his assist- ants.'* This is the end of the myth, but my instructor added that the rebirth of good souls is known to the Menomini, because children have sometimes been born who have had earring holes already in their ears, or were without an arm or some or- gan, which must have been lost in some previous life. The modern performance of the Private Memorial Ceremony in honor of the dead takes place about a year after the actual funeral. It lasts only one night and one day, and consists in the recalling of the spirit of the deceased from the realms of Na^patao to receive sacrifices, as desig- nated in the sacred myth. A person is chosen, of the same sex and about the same age as the deceased, who is to repre- sent the dead, and in whose body the re- called shade is supposed to be domiciled during the performance. The chief mourner is the host. The relatives of the deceased prepare food and gifts. AND MONOGRAPHS IV 118 MEDICINE CEREMONY such as blankets, tobacco, and a suit of clothes for the impersonator of the dead man. When everything is ready, the giver of the feast sends out tobacco, with invitations stating that in four days the ceremony will be held. On the fourth day, in the evening, all are assembled. The impersonator comes a little later than the others, bringing food in a kettle with him. He waits outside until about six o'clock in the evening, when every- thing is ready to commence. Then a servant is sent out to invite the guest of honor in, and he enters, and sits with the giver of the ceremony. The perform- ance, by the way, is held in the house of the host. The relatives of the guest of honor are also present, along with the other invited guests. When everything is in readiness, an old mitdOy who has been invited to take charge, comes forward and makes a speech, in which he tells the reasons for giving the ceremony, and repeats the myth of Ma'nabus and Na^patao. Then he speaks in behalf of the host, asking IV INDIAN NOTES PRIVATE MEMORIAL 119 Na^patao to dismiss the soul of the de- ceased and allow him to come to the cere- • mony. Shortly after this, the old priest says: *'Now the one we have asked for is here to partake of our feast and tobacco. Let us eat/* He then turns to the guest of honor, who is now supposed to be ani- mated by the soul of the deceased, and says to him, calling him by the name of the dead person: "You first sit and eat, and receive it before the others. This is for you. You have been called here and you have a little recess to receive this sacrifice, so take part with your rel- atives and friends.'* The feast is then consumed by all those present. There are two waiters, or servants, who have been hired to pass food to all the guests. When the feast is over, the master of ceremonies arises and again addresses the guest of honor: "You are now through, you who are called from there, and we are done too. We ask you to stay until tomorrow, when we will finish in earnest, and give you another and larger feast, and your new AND MONOGRAPHS IV 120 MEDICINE CEREMONY clothes to put on. Then we will dismiss you. You are a shade, and only here on the sufferance of Na^patao, but we beg you to stay until the morrow. That is what is wanted of you by your relatives." This is the end of the night feast, and the guests are ready to depart. The master of ceremonies, however, orders them all to arise early so that the cere- mony will be over by noon. "You host, get your feast ready in time, and you, guest of honor, be ready too," he insists. The members arise the next day before dawn. The host sends relatives to the guest of honor to tell them that the cook- ing is being done, and that he or she is to hurry and prepare food also. Usually the relatives are ready and in the house, sitting awaiting the guest of honor, who is sent for and brought in. When the guest of honor comes, the host meets him, takes hold of him as though catching him, and makes him sit down. At the same time the relatives of the guest of honor are bringing in his food offering, which is added to the host's feast. The IV INDIAN NOTES PRIVATE MEMORIAL 121 host now clothes the guest of honor, and no garments are used that are not brand new; a good suit, a new hat and shoes, with a new blanket are put around him. The blanket is tied about his waist. Then the guest of honor is fed, after which the master of ceremonies repeats a speech as before, and then orders the servants to distribute the feast given for the tcihdi- winini (shade or ghost man), "whom we have called here ; and we will partake also with our comrade. This is what we told you last night," he says to the guest. When the feast is over, the master of ceremonies then repeats what he has said before and again turns to the imperson- ator, saying, "You have now finished, and you are dismissed to return." He helps the guest of honor to arise and leads him to the center, still holding him, and faces him to the west. "You have now seen the feast and eaten it, and you have now seen your own relatives who begged for you. Your relatives from beyond, who came here with you, shall start back with you, and you shall all take back what AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 122 MEDICINE CEREMONY was here given you. You are well pro- vided ; your arms are filled with food and tobacco. Take it all along now, and be- fore you go you must thank your own rel- atives who obtained this privilege for you. Do not tarry when you return; go straight home and be contented, and do not be angry at your relations, but appre- ciate it and thank them." Then the shade is supposed to leave tne guest's body and return to Na^patao, who says to him, " Have you been to your relatives, my uncles?" "Yes, I have been spoken to by my relatives, and while I was there they gave these things. They were good to me and they wish for happi- ness. Here is their feast and tobacco and goods. They wish you to show your blue sky to prove your power." Na^pa- tao hears and accepts. He says: "Thank you, my uncle, in behalf of your people; their prayers shall be heard. I shall prolong their lives and make them happy." All this is told to the guest of honor, who is then led once about the house. IV INDIAN NOTES PRIVATE MEMORIAL. 123 taken outside, and faced to the west, where he is dismissed. The public performance of this cere- mony, called Uswinauamikdsko, or Ob- literation Ceremony, is carried on inside the lodge. This is done only for men of importance in the MUawin, such as the ! Fk:. 3.— Menominl medicine-dance feast bowl and iadle. The handle of the lad!e a carved to lepreaent Ma'nfibus. leaders in the ceremonies. The main part of the ceremony is the same, but during the feast on the last day, the spoon and dish of the deceased are present, turned upside down (fig. 3). At the con- AND MONOGRAPHS iv r 124 MEDICINE CEREMONY elusion of the rite they are turned right- side up, and this song is sung: Kitonagan ehehehe Your dish Wikani kanahahaha My comrades we change Kitonagan ehehehe. This dish. During the song the guests rise and dance, and the guest of honor is shot with their medicine-bags. The dish is afterward given to him. The fourth osehau turns the dish upright, and more food is brought in to fill it, by the rela- tives of the deceased. The guest of honor eats this all in memory of the dead. Frequently this performance is preceded by the initiation of the guest of honor in place of the deceased member of the lodge, the two ceremonies being combined. In this event the candidate is afterward known to the relatives of the deceased by the same term of rela- tionship which they bore to the dead person. After the turning up of the dish, the guests file out of the lodge and circle round it (pi. iv, a), if the grave is far off. If this is not the case, they go directly IV INDIAN NOTES L. Leaving the medicine- lodge for t1 I. Returniogtrom the Bfavefrolictini PRIVATE MEMORIAL 125 to the cemetery. The guest of honor is led to the grave, where one song is sung to the music of the water-drum. He is there dismissed. The party then circles back to enter the eastern door. Inci- dentally, during this ceremony, and at no other time, the performers go out of the western door of the lodge. Before returning, they form a great circle and pass about, "shooting" each other pro- miscuously (pi. IV, b). The entire cere- mony, as usual, is under charge of the osehauwdk, and they receive presents from the relatives, along with twenty-five others who are leaders in the shooting ceremony, and who are mentioned before- hand as guests and mourners. Each re- cipient of a present has to sing a song, and this is for the goods which are hung up in the lodge. Usually these goods are in part those that have been kept in the death bundle ^^ of the deceased, along with some of the deceased person's hair. The hair is buried in the grave at the cere- mony there. • AND MONOGRAPHS IV 126 MEDICINE CEREMONY THE USWINAUAMIKASKO, OR OBLITER- ATION CEREMONY Ma'nabus told the people when he was with them: "While you are living, all at once you will drop your medicine-bags (meaning, 'you will die*), and cease to use them. All of you, my people, will have to die, but I want to tell you of my great gift from Those Above and the Powers Below. They gave me full power when they said to me, * We have given you the medicine-bag to have always.' " Ma'- nabus added: " Be very careful to remem- ber what I am to tell you when one of you die who had held a medicine-bag in his hand. After his death do not ne- glect or throw away this sacred object, only fold it up and put it away to remain till the time (one year) is up. You shall speak of it in the meantime to the great Powers Above and Below and tell them that you have this bag left over, since the owner has departed. When you do and say that, both the Above and Below Powers shall hear it, and in order to care for him who died and his IV INDIAN NOTES OBLITERATION RITE 127 medicine-bag, you shall make a medicine- ceremony when the year is ended." Ma'nabus taught this about the pro- cedure for the death of a middle-aged mitdo. When such a one dies and is headed for the hereafter, it is not always known whether he gets there or not, as there may be some reason for his not ar- riving directly. It is because of some non-fulfilment of Ma'nabus* orders on the Mitdwin rites. In this case the relatives have to give a ceremony to help the shade along on the journey, and a medicine- lodge is erected, to which all the members are invited. The medicine-bag of the dead man is brought there too. They have a dance and a talk to the deceased, and pray to the Powers to permit him to be present. Tobacco is offered, and there is a sacred feast (pi. v). There are prayers and repetitions of the stories and teachings of Ma'nabus: how he commanded them to do this way in order to help along the deceased. They tell the shade of the de- ceased again about the road marked out by Na^patao, and inform him how to proceed. AND MONOGRAPHS IV 128 MEDICINE CEREMONY THE YATaPEWIN, OR REINSTATEMENT CEREMONY The fourth and last part of the cere- monies of the Mitdwin is known as Yatd- pewifiy or, "receiving it twice." It is in fact a reinstatement ceremony for those who have fallen from the favor of the gods. A person who has taken the ini- tiation twice belongs to what Hoffman calls the "second degree." In ancient times the yatdpit, or " degree", was some- times taken as many as four times, but no one within recent years has gone beyond the second performance. Mem- bers are entitled to special facial paintings in blue to denote the number of degrees they have taken (fig. 4). In beginning the description of this part of the ritual, my instructor, as usual, made an address to the gods. He said: "This address is made to Ma'nabus as is customary, for we are to speak of his teachings, and this offering of tobacco is directed to him. This our ancestors were taught strictly to do." He put down tobacco and repeated the name of the IV INDIAN NOTES REINSTATEMENT hero again, so that he would accept it and no harm would follow. Old people used thus to teach their children, sitting in the family circle about the fire. It is sacred, and comes through the Grand- fathers above to Ma'nabus, and then to his Grandmother, whose words were car- ried down, never to be disregarded. Ma'- FiG. 4. — Menomini medicine ceremony facial paint- ing of members of different degrees, (a, Member of the lodge; b, member reinstated once; c, member twice reinstated; d, member three times reinstated.) nabus spoke about the lodge and of its ways and medicines, and established the rule that everyone wishing to obtain in- formation had to go to someone who knew, and buy the knowledge which he had imparted. This must always be practised in the same way. Ma'n^bus told his people about the right and the wrong, but he kept out the evil side of AND MONOGRAPHS 129 IV I. N. M. — IV, 9. 130 MEDICINE CEREMONY • life until the Indians dug it up them- selves. When a person who is mitdo (a member) is ill, he will go to a seer with tobacco, and this one will look into the trouble over night, seeing clearly in a vision what is the matter. The next day the patient goes to his doctor ", who will tell him, "The cause of your continued affliction is this, as I saw last night: it is a failure of yours to content the Powers. They are annoyed. You will be obliged to sit for a second time in the candidate's seat and be initiated into the lodge once more." The mitdo will prepare himself by gath- ering one good new blanket, two of three shawls, and a smaller, thinner blanket, which are enough to pay for the services he requires. He does not decide as yet who is to receive them. Four to eight strips of calico are also collected. The patient now calls on the four pucwdwHk with tobacco, and tells them what he re- quires. He relates the diagnosis of the mitdwdpey or seer, and asks their help. "Now you go to work and prepare your IV INDIAN NOTES REINSTATEMENT lodge, and we shall enter it two or three days from now." It is left to the sick person to choose the direction in which the lodge shall be pointed, but usually the doors are north and south (fig. 5). It is smaller and shorter than the regular lodge, and the succeeding ceremony lasts ® '.=*^3*1. ^^^v 'I 8' 131 Fig. s- — Diagram of building during the Reinstate- ment Ceremony, (a'-a'. Points of entrance and the course of osehauwHk; b, osehauwHk; e, sick shaman; x, usual position of candidate; a, first position of osihaur- wHk after entrance.) only one night, commencing at sunset and ending at dawn. The four pucwdwUk take charge. They consult each other and 'agree on the pro- cedure, and then call their skaupdwisy or servant, giving him tobacco and saying: "Here is tobacco for you to go and call So-and-so. Present him with this, and AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 132 MEDICINE CEREMONY * say that he is to come this evening to help initiate our patient." The skaupd- wis then goes to all designated, four in number, and invites them in the order named by his instructors. When they are all bidden, the first, who, by the way, received quite a supply of tobacco, per- haps as much as a quarter of a pound, divides his tobacco in two and appoints his own servant, sending him out and telling him to invite others. "Tell each one it is from us, and they are wanted for one night in the lodge, to reinstate • So-and-so, who is sick." The same pro- cedure is followed by each of the four selected as osehauwuk until a number of guests have been invited. At nearly sunset the pucwdwHk come, and bring in their drum and rattle (pi. vi, a-c). They sit opposite their regular places. The first pucwdo has the sick man sitting beside him, and says to him: "We begin our work in all seriousness. Be very careful; think over well what will now be done to you. You say you have been told to do this because you have been ill IV INDIAN NOTES Hi m I ii I 5 i J REINSTATEMENT 133 for quite a long time, and you come here before us to go over this performance, this work of seating you a second time." All this time the osehauwHk are waiting out- side. [Here the instructor interrupted him- self to say that for this occasion the white megishHk used in the first perform- ance would not be utilized. "The medi- cines will be different and a black megisi will be used throughout."] Goods and tobacco have been brought and put in a wooden receptacle (pi. vi, d) before the first pucwdOy who rises and says : "I am now about to speak in this way, which is one of the customary rites given us by our leader Ma'nabus, besides the regular ritual of the lodge, to which this is added. This tobacco and goods form a sacrifice for this purpose, and I speak so that they will be accepted, as we are now ready to hang them on the ridge-pole before us. These goods are offered in behalf of So-and-so, who is seated beside ine, and to assist in his cure, as he is going to take it the second time. They are now AND MONOGRAPHS IV 134 MEDICINE CEREMONY going to be hung on the ridge-pole." Then he finishes his chant and says, " I have done my part." Then he adds, "My next friend will do his share." The second pucwdo rises and makes the same remarks as his predecessor, adding, "These goods have now become mitdo property." The other two pucwdwHk fol- low in turn. When they have done, the skaupdwis hangs the goods on the ridge- pole. The first pucwdo then orders the servant to go out and call in the osehauwHk and other guests who are waiting outside. He is told to warn the two leading osehaumdk that when they enter one must come behind the other and they must enter the north door. "Tell them when they come in," says the first pucwdo, *' to lead off and take the course to the left of the pucwdwilk on the east side [this is the reverse of the usual procedure], and to return to the north door opposite the pucwdwHk and stand there." This is done, and the osekauwHk sing together while the pucwdwHk beat the drum for them. When this is finished IV INDIAN NOTES REINSTATEMENT 135 they circle again, and stop at the south door, where they indulge in another song. Then they circle past the south door to the north door, and at last take seats at the center on the east side where they belong. When they are seated, the other two osehauwHk enter through the south door and circle up along the west side, past the pucwdwHk, and stop on the east side of the south door where they entered. Then they go up to the north door again and stop opposite the pucwdwHk to sing. They then go on circling the lodge all the way past the pucwdwUky past the south door, back to the middle of the west side, where they take their places oppo- site the other two. On their last walk the bystanders enter behind them, and circle about, taking their places. When the two enter from the north door, their guests follow. Those who came in last from the south were those invited by the osehauwHk who entered by that door. The pucwdwHk now divide their tobacco in two equal parts. One lot of tobacco AND MONOGRAPHS IV 136 MEDICINE CEREMONY is taken by the osehauwHk on the east by the servant, who continues on round the lodge, and gives the rest to the two on the west. Now the head pucwdo arises, and if everything has been carried out properly, darkness has just set in. He speaks to the two osehauwHk on the east, saying: "The tobacco has now been taken to you and prepared for sacrifice. It is for you to direct it, in behalf of the pa- tient, to the great Grandfathers and Ma'- nabus. Address it also to the Bear Be- low, for his presence and black megise are important. Consume the tobacco here." He then turns to the two osehauwdk on the west side and repeats his command. " Now take charge of it," he says to them. " Do not forget about Ma'nabus and pass on the tobacco to the Gods Above, then to the Powers Below. Be sure and offer tobacco to the Bear Below, reminding him that he owns this medicine and black megisi for reviving and reinstating the sick." This is done by the osehauwHk, who sing the proper songs for the purpose IV INDIAN NOTES 1 REINSTATEMENT 137 while the pucwdwHk drum for them. When this is finished by those on both sides, there is a pause while all smoke tobacco which has been carried to them by servants. The tobacco is supposed to have been already spiritually consumed by the Powers. The head pucwdo now arises again, and relates the entire story of how Ma'nabus got the mitdwin. We insert here the version of the origin myth as it is said to be chanted in the ceremonies, but which was not obtained from the instructor on this occasion, but from Thomas Hog, now deceased. It will be found to be much more compact and rhythmic than the longer version given for the instruction of candidates. In- deed, it is more poetic than any other Indian myth that the writer has ever col- lected. Ma'nabus struggled for and against his Grandfathers, the Powers Above and Be- low; that is how the medicines came to exist. It was at the time that the Powers destroyed his brother, the White Wolf. • AND MONOGRAPHS IV 138 MEDICINE CEREMONY He chased a white deer. "Never run around near the edge of the ocean," said Ma'nabus to his brother, "for the Under- neath Powers have conspired against us to do us harm." But Miihwase ["Little Wolf," a nickname for Na^patao] did not obey his command. Once he chased a white deer along the shore and over- took it on the half circuit. He killed the deer, and said, "This skin will make a fine mat for my brother Ma'- nabus." When he removed the hide, he looked across the ocean. At that point it was very narrow, and he could see his brother's lodge on the other side. It seemed so much easier to cross over than to go around, that Little Wolf started over the ice, but it broke and the Powers Below dragged him under. Ma'nabus heard his cries faintly as he sank. Then Ma'nabus mourned for his brother. On the fourth day he ceased his lamentations and followed along the shores of the ocean, sobbing. At every strangling breath he drew, the water re- ceded in the ocean. On his fourth breath IV INDIAN NOTES REINSTATEMENT 139 all the Powers Below came out and sat beside him. **ril destroy all of you," said Ma'nabus to White Bear, chief of the Powers; "perhaps even you are the very one who has Wounded me.** Then he commenced to weep. At the fourth sob all the Powers dwindled in size to the height of a pine tree. So all the Great Ones were close together at his side. Then all the gods held council to- gether. The Powers Above came down on the tops of the hills to meet the Pow- ers Below.^ Then Ma'nSbus retired to his lodge and lay still for four days. He lay with his face down, mourning for his dearly beloved brother. At last the Powers came to an agreement. "Let us com- fort Ma'nabus," they said. Then the Powers Above, aided by the Powers Be- low, made a long lodge, a mitdw'ikomtk^ above, in the sky. Then the heavens that had come down on the hilltops as- cended to their former place again. Then the gods entered the lodge. The Powers Above sat on the south side, and the AND MONOGRAPHS IV 140 MEDICINE CEREMONY Powers Below sat on the north, forming two parties. The poles of the lodge were bound together with living serpents in- stead of basswood string, and from the north the Power of the Wind came upon those who sat on that side, and when the Wind struck the lodge it became a mat, blue on the inside and white without, and it draped the poles. Then it came to pass that from the west came the Thunder- birds, and they covered the lodge with the Wind from their quarter. Then all the gods stripped off their animal nature as birds and beasts, and became men, and the skins which they drew from them became all manner of medicine-bags, which they hung over the poles. They filled the bags with blue paint and medi- cine herbs. They placed in them the megisi^^aind the konapamik,^^ {or these two last carry in them the life of man on earth. Then the interior of the lodge became lined with blue clay until it looked like the sky. Then kettles filled with sacred food appeared along the sides. Then the Powers cooked, and they sea- IV INDIAN NOTES REINSTATEMENT 141 soned the food with a pinch of the blue sky itself. Then all was ready for the reception of Ma'nabus. But now all gods were not agreed. Some of them hesitated, for they were afraid to go and get Ma'nabus. At last Misinikaka (Duckhawk) volunteered, "I will go and fetch him." He left the lodge and soon arrived at his destination, but Ma'nabus heard him the moment he screeched, and started. The Duckhawk lit on the top of his lodge. "Come!" he called . Ma'nabus made no answer, but in his heart he said, "I don't want you as a messenger, yet I do not refuse the cause you represent." Then Duckhawk re- turned alone. Now I turn toward the great ocean, and that of which I shall speak is heavy in portent and very sacred. The Otter, who dwelt in the center of the ocean, overheard this conversation. He went out from his lodge and showed himself. He walked about his home four times, and on the fourth round he became very beautiful to behold; his fur AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 142 MEDICINE CEREMONY was black like a bear cub. Then, though he had not been asked, he started volun- tarily and swam toward the lodge of Ma'nabus. On the way he passed a rocky islet, and there he climbed out and showed off, playing. As he came out, the rock and he himself were turned sky-blue. Then he entered the water and swam on again. Like the froth on the waves of the ocean the konapamik shells floated before him.^ Then Otter reached the shore and landed, with the megisi in his hand, and he planted it, and when he had done this he began to give his call, and on the fourth cry his voice penetrated to the uttermost confines of the heavens, and all the Powers heard him. As he reached the mitdw' ikomtk door he was still calling, and at the threshold he paused and began to scrape up the dust and particles of earth and leaves, and to shove them in- side. Then the dirt became presents to those within. When he had done this four times, and each time the sweepings he had gathered were transformed to IV INDIAN NOTES REINSTATEMENT 143 things of great value, he entered himself. "You have not my power," he said to the gods, "I alone can get him when you have failed." Great was the power of Otter, for the very ground beneath him turned sky- blue, even as he spoke.^* Then Otter turned and left the lodge and went straight to Ma'nabus. Ma'nabus knew from afar that Otter was coming, and he was satisfied at heart, for Otter was the very ambassador that he wanted. At the threshold of Ma'nabus' lodge Otter paused and made four piles of scrapings and passed them through the door, and they became presents. "Why do you refuse? Why do you refuse? Hesitate no longer, you should accept," said Otter. " I will accept now," answered Ma'nS- bus; "you are the one I awaited." Then Otter left at once for the mitdw'- ikomtk. Ma'nabus arose and fumbled around for his pipe and his tobacco-bag, and all that was in it. He started then, and when he got to the door of his lodge AND MONOGRAPHS IV 144 MEDICINE CEREMONY • he paused to look which way Otter had gone, but he could not see him. He looked upward, and there he saw Otter's tracks leading through the sky. "What shall I do now?" he wondered. Then he took his pipe and thumped it four times on the ground, shoving downward, and it propelled him four times its length into the air. He reached the upper part of heaven and saw the door of the mitdv/- ikomtk where his Grandfathers sat. He entered and went around to the right. As he looked around he saw that all the members were old, old men. He saw all the medicine-bags hanging on the wall. He desired at first to walk up the left side, but he reconsidered, for he did not wish to countenance the side of darkness where the Powers Below were seated. That is why we always go to the right today. The Powers rebuked Ma'na- bus. "You are wrong; take the other side," they said. "No," said he, "I want the bright side of life for my parents to come. Why should I choose the night? "^5 IV INDIAN NOTES REINSTATEMENT 145 In the center of the lodge Ma'nabus found a robe or a blanket of blue clay (color) and there his Grandfathers seated him as we seat the candidates today. Four days ^^ the Powers instructed him. At the east where we first enter there was a small wigwam ^ containing a stone, and this became blue clay (color). The stone that was seated there was a moving power, a hero too, though it had no hands or legs. It was round, but it spoke like a human being. It took four days [years] to finish the instruction in songs, dances, and medicines. When Ma'nabus was taught, he said as he left, ** Haven't you made this in four instalments, one for each night?" "We did this because of those who are to come," they answered. " Your parents, the people, give to each of the sections a night so they can transfer their knowledge to each other." They gave Ma'nabus some tubular bone beads. "These belong up above, and they shall be the source of your power as a mitdwapi. ^ These are the okandk AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M.. rV — 10. 146 MEDICINE CEREMONY bones. You shall sometimes swallow as many as six or eight to obtain power.*' Then Ma'nabus came down to earth with all his gifts. As he reached halfway between sky and earth it became cloudy and threatened to rain. "Perhaps my Grandfathers have played a trick on me, when I thought they were in earnest," said he. He raised his otter-skin med- icine-bag to test it, and pointed it four times at the gathering storm, and on the fourth time the clouds split and disap- peared. Then Ma'nabus landed on the ground, and Kokomdsa, our Grandmother the earth, rose personified as an old lady. Then Ma'nabus built a mitdw'ikomtk and he and his Grandmother commenced the ceremonies as he had been taught them. "These that you have brought, these herbs and roots, are only the hairs of my head," said his Grandmother to Ma'na- bus. (That is why you must put tobacco in the hole when you dig out a medicine. It goes to our Grandmother to recompense her for her suffering when she gives them up to us. That is why all the trees are IV INDIAN NOTES REINSTATEMENT 147 called metikgwopawininiu, and they are our helpers now.) When these things had come to pass, then the world of today began, and to this hour we do as we were instructed by Ma'nabus. First the leader in the Mitd- win sacrifices to the Powers Below at the opening of the ceremony,^ for they first conceived the idea of the inedicine-lodge. The Powers Below send their skaupdwis, or servant, to get the tobacco. He is all white, save his eyes, which are dark. Next comes the sacrifice to the Powers Above; these are in four tiers overhead in a great hole in the center of the heavens, and they too send their servant to get the tobacco. And so it is carried out by us Indians as Ma'nabus has given it to us. At the conclusion of this myth the leader sings that he is following the rulings made by Ma'nabus. All the songs used here and throughout the ceremony are entirely different from those in the initiation performance, since they were all given by the chief of the AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 148 MEDICINE CEREMONY Bears Below, the great white Underground Bear. When this section is finished, the drum is passed to the second pucwdo, who repeats the performance, and then shoves the drum to the third, who does likewise and passes it on to the fourth. Now follows a pause while the four pucwdwHk consult each other and plan how to proceed further. The first says, " I know such-and-such an herb medicine for the candidate to drink with his me- gisi.^^ The second says, "I will furnish two black megishHk,''^^ The third says, "I will paint him on the breast and fore- head." The fourth says, "I will furnish an otter- or a bird -skin medicine-bag." The fourth rises and announces: "We shall now go over to our comrades the osehauwHk and instruct them what to do." They all march south together. The first two stop at the eastern osehau- wHk; the others continue on around and stop in front of the two at the west. The leader says to the first of the two eastern osehauwHk, "You give the af- flicted one to drink of apisetcikHn (re- IV INDIAN NOTES REINSTATEMENT 149 viving medicine) and megisi, and tell him how it came from the Great Bear Below. The second pucwdo said to his osehau, "You give him these two black megisisHk to swallow. They came from the Bear Below and they are to stay in him forever. That will cure him of his trouble. Tell him so that he will under- stand that, in the future, when he is invited to attend a medicine dance, he must and shall vomit up what you gave him, and it shall be these underneath black megisisHk.'' The two pucwdwHk now rest and the other two pucwdwHk begin on their side of the lodge. "Now it is your turn," the third says to his osehau. "You shall paint this one, who is now mitdwit [can- didate for the medicine-lodge], for the second time, on the forehead and the breast. The fourth pucwdo says to his assistant, "We are expecting you to fur- nish the medicine-bag of the bird kind to the candidate." The pucwdwdk are now done, and re- turn circling to their places, where they AND MONOGRAPHS IV f 150 MEDICINE CEREMONY stand. The leader says to the sick one, "Rise!" He then faces him east and tells him to walk toward the southern door. As he does so, the first pucwdo fol- lows him, holding him by the shoulders. The candidate's seat has been prepared and blankets strewn in front of it, the most valuable ones lying nearest the seat. At the southern door the pucwdo and the candidate stop. The pucwdo sings and then starts off again, chanting. He continues on up to the southern door, where he stops, then sings, circles again, and stops at the left side of the southern door, where he remarks that he has done his part and advises the second pucwdo that it is his turn. The second repeats the performance, as also do the third and the fourth. The fourth delivers the candidate at the south where the blankets are strewn. The head pucwdo now gets up and says to the four osehauwHk, "We are done, and the candidate is delivered at the seating place, where you shall make him become your child." Having finished, the two osehauwHk to IV INDIAN NOTES REINSTATEMENT 151 the east rise and go to the candidate and sit beside him on the east side. Then the other two get up, approach, and sit on the west side. Then the leader of the eastern pair takes medicines from his bag and undoes his little bundle of medi- cines obtained from the great Under- neath Bear. From it he takes out api- sHcikdn. He mixes the medicine in a unio shell with some water, saying: "This is what Ma'nabus received, and was told to follow by his Grandfathers. Ma'na- bus gathered this medicine later on from the Bear Below. He did it in case a man should have to be reinstated to get relief from illness, and I now repeat the story." He then makes the patient drink the medicine, along with a black megisi. " Now it comes to my comrade. He shall do his part by giving the sick one two megis^sHk to swallow." The second man cries, "This shall be life to him," and does so. Then the first oseliau on the west takes out his blue paint, saying, "This is what my great Grandparents AND MONOGRAPHS IV 152 MEDICINE CEREMONY gave me to use for this purpose. I am preparing it now to paint this one, who is about to be reinstated. I shall add some herb medicine for him to drink, and take them and cure him and enable him to live to his natural age without further trouble from his present illness." He sings and paints the man with the same design that they used the first time. He relates how, why, and where Ma'nabus got the paint in the first place. By this time the hour is past midnight, and the third osehau turns him over to the fourth, who says as he rises, "This man desires me to furnish him with a medicine-bag of the bird kind for his second initiation, and I shall do so." When he has finished, all those in the lodge cry, "Eh!" The osehauwUkf being now through, take their seats, and the head pucwdo gets up to say: "You have done your part, and it is finished. The next that is re- quired of us is to have some of you go up to the candidate and vomit forth your megisisHk before him." The we'tioUk (an IV INDIAN NOTES REINSTATEMENT alternative name for osehauwHk) arise, and their leader says: ** I shall speak to be heard. I have a megisi in my back, be- low my neck, and I shall now try to get it up." They all march in single-file round the lodge, singing, and certain of the guests who have been picked out to do this, and who are to receive a piece of calico for their services, join in and follow them. As they pass by the candidate, each one retches to loosen his megisi, until all have done so. Each time as they circle about the lodge they stop at the northern door and stand there a moment. When all those who have been invited to bring out their megisisHk have finished, and they are standing at the northern door, the leader says again, ** Now I must make my megisi come out," and they start on their circling walk down the lodge, retching, and crying, " Wehohoho!'* He vomits up his megisi before the candidate. All four do likewise, and then the special guests drop out their megisisHk. The servant is then called to count them and see whether 153 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 154 MEDICINE CEREMONY they lie favorably or not. He brings a torch to see by, as it is night. The per- formers circle round the lodge again, leav- ing the megisisHk where they lie. On the return the leader takes up his bead, and places it in the palm of his hand just as it lay, right- or wrong-side up. He sways it before his body for all the world to see. They circle again, crying, ** Wehohoho, wehuwehu!'* This is to encourage the megis^ so it will go where it is desired. They circle four times, and the last time they cry " Yuhihi, yuhihi!'* and swallow their megisisHk. They then circle again, and at the northern door they stop and face the candidate. The leader takes his medicine-bag, holds it before him as though it were a gun, blows on its head to prepare it by loading it with his breath, cries, ** Hihi- hihi!'^ and starts at a trot for the candi- date, stooping over with the bag held in front of him. In the meantime the head pucwdo has gone down and stands behind the candidate, holding him by the shoul- ders. The leader of the osehau shoots at IV INDIAN NOTES REINSTATEMENT 155 the candidate and makes him quiver. He circles on back to the door, whence he started. There he says, "I have done my part; it is your turn.*' The second, then the third and the fourth follow in order. As the fourth approaches the candidate, the first dances, and sings that he will give his bag to the patient. He then shoots like the others, but, this be- ing the fourth shot, the candidate col- lapses and falls. The last osehau then lays his medicine-bag between the shoul- der-blades of the prostrate man, and leaves it there, while the invited guests repeatedly ' * shoot ' ' the candidate. When they are done, the head osehau orders his men to take the megisi out. All four come to the candidate, raise his head and shoulders, shake him, and cry, " Yohi- hihi!'' to make the candidate vomit up the megisi, which he does. Meanwhile the three pucwdwdk who are sitting at their place, rise and go to the center with the drum, where they sing and beat. It is now time to dance, so the four osehawurUk leave the candidate AND MONOGRAPHS IV 156 MEDICINE CEREMONY and pass around dancing. They finish, standing close to the three pucwdwUky who are drumming. The candidate is now raised to his feet by the first pucwdo. He has his own megisi in his hand, and circles round the lodge, showing it, and crying, ''Yohoho!'' When he has re- turned to his seat once more, he swallows it. Then the first pucwdo makes him vomit the megisi again, and circle about, showing it. This he repeats four times. He is then told by the pucwdo that he must shoot the four osehauwHk who shot him. He is told to blow on his new bag and find the one who first shot him. He does so, and so on for all four. Mean- while the three pucwdwHk still beat the drum. The candidate then returns to his sit- ting place, and all circle about the lodge dancing, and shooting each other gener- ally. The candidate must remember each one who shoots him, and the next time they pass he joins the circle and searches for the man who shot him, to return the charge. When the drum has IV INDIAN NOTES REINSTATEMENT 157 passed each of the four pucwdwHk, they finish and sit down, and so do all the others. It should now be nearly day in the summer performance. Then the four pucwdwHk rise, raise the drum, circle, going back to the east side of the northern door where the head puc- wdOy who has joined them, says, "The shooting is over and now the drum should take its course." He begins to sing, and starts off on a walk down the east side to the southern door, where he stops and sings again. [Here the instructor inter- rupted himself to say, "Everything is re- versed because the Bear who gave this relief to us is left-handed, and we fol- low him."] The pucwdo pushes on and goes to the northern door. The women rise and follow him. He stops at the northern door at the western side, and sings a dance song. When he is done, he returns to the southern door and sings the last song. He then passes the drum, takes the rattle and swings it. They circle again on a walk four times about the lodge. AND MONOGRAPHS IV 158 MEDICINE CEREMONY On the last round when opposite the four osehauwHk, the rattle is given to the first osehau on the east side, the donor singing, **Hihihi,'' as he does so. The others, who have also been provided with rattles, give theirs up to the servant who has charge of the drum. They all circle round to their places, where the head pucwdo addresses the company, saying, "We have now finished, and it is up to you osehauwdk to begin, and we shall listen." Then the head osehau begins to talk, telling them about Ma'nabus and how he had the medicines, etc., from his Grand- fathers. He then sings. (Sometimes, it is said, the osehauwHk each sing four songs.) In the first song the osehau tells how he gave the candidate medicine to drink with the bead in the unio shell. No one dances during this chant. When the osehau has sung four songs, he starts another four, and the women rise and dance with their medicine-bags to show that all medicines are in them. When the second group of four songs are over. IV INDIAN NOTES REINSTATEMENT 159 the osehau says that he is through with all that he had to do, and adds, " Now my comrade will be next.*' The same four songs are sung, and the second four for dancing. There is a short pause, then the two osehauwHk on the east side walk to the north door and stand there. The leader begins to sing. He finishes and goes to the south door and sings again. Then he starts back to the north door, stops with his comrade, and says he is done, passing it on to his companion, saying that his companion will start his turn with a dancing song, which he does, while the skaupdwis who has charge of the drum beats upon it. When this is done he goes down to the end of the south door and sings another dancing song in which the women join. After this he walks round the lodge, merely shaking his rattle. He then circles again, at the door crying, **Wihi!'* while he delivers the rattle and drum to the two osehauwHk opposite, and continues to his seat. Then the head osehau on the west tells about Ma'nabus, and how he received AND MONOGRAPHS IV 160 MEDICINE CEREMONY the medicine. He sings four sacred songs, and four more dancing songs, and all goes on the same as before. When everything is done, the four pucwdwHk order the drum brought up before them in the middle of the northern door, and all four of the osehauwdk stand opposite them while they sing and start out with the shooting performance again. Then all the guests arise and dance in a circle about the lodge, shooting each other as they do so. This part is not reversed in any way. The leader at the door con- tinues to sing fully an hour, during all of which time the others dance. When the osehauwHk have finished, those who have been selected to receive presents take the place of the four ose- hauwHk, who go to their own seats. These newcomers are six or seven in num- ber. The first sings one, or maybe two, songs, while the other guests dance, and so on until they are all finished. The ceremony is now practically over, and it is probably nearly day. The pucwdwHk now rise and take the gifts from the ridge- IV INDIAN NOTES ^ REINSTATEMENT 161 pole. The head pucwdo then addresses the audience: "We are now finished. These goods we hold in our hands were intended by our patient to be sacrificed to the Gods Above, and they shall accept them because it was given to our nephew and teacher [Ma'nabus] in this way." Then the head pucwdo begins to sing, and walks to the southern door, where he stops and ceases. He is followed by the other three pucwdwdk. Then he starts back to the northern door, singing, and stops when he arrives there. He then says: "I have now finished my part, and I have accepted these goods [miido anokii/etciMn, "mit^o sacrificed goods**] and have spoken my thanks. Now I pass on my work to my next comrade second to me.'* Then they change places. The second speaks, saying: "I am about to thank the Grandfathers above for these goods now on my arm," and so on until all four have received their goods. They then circle and the first pucwdo hands one blan- ket to the first osehau in the east. The • AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M. — IV, II. 162 MEDICINE CEREMONY « second receives a shawl. They then con- tinue until the west pucwdo receives a small blanket, etc. Then the calicoes are distributed to the six or seven others. After this, the four pucwdwdk go to their places. The head pucwdo says, "We have now finished all our work." Two kettles of food for the feast, which have been provided by the candidate, are brought in and set in front of the tipani- tcikawdk (an alternative name for pucwd- wCik), The head pucwdo then tells the two head osehauwHk, one on the east and one on the west, to go over and get the sacrifice kettles and take them out. The leader from the west goes out of the north- ern door and the one on the east goes out of the southern door. They all rise ex- cept the pucwdwUk and follow the ose- hauwHk out of the two doors, crying their thanks to the Powers Above for their gifts and asking help for the candidate who provided them. This is begun by the man at the southern door, who com- mences it and is joined by the leader at the northern door. The southern leaders IV INDIAN NOTES REINSTATEMENT 163 and their company proceed down the west side to the north door; the others to the south door, and stop opposite where they formerly stood. They leave off sing- ing as they pass the middle of the lodge. When they stop, the leader on the south- ern end says, "You, my comrade, go to the northern door, pass out with your kettle, and we will take the other kettle to the southern door." So they begin dancing, singing **IIihihi!'' and pass out. The four pucwdwHk and the candidate re- main behind while the rest go out. This finishes the ceremony. In concluding his remarks on this fea- ture, my instructor added that the Ojibwa are known still to have four de- grees, or yatapit (reinstatements), but no Menomini now living has taken more than two, although, if so ordered by a seer, any Menomini could still do so. A man who has gone in the medicine-lodge once gen- erally has an otter-skin medicine-bag. When he has gone in twice he uses a bird, mink, or weasel skin. If he should take it three times, he would receive a panther- AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 164 MEDICINE CEREMONY IV or a bear-foot bag, and the fourth time, the horned owl would be used. As a matter of fact, while this is the theoret- ical rule, all these bags seem to be used promiscuously by all members. The painting of the faces of the mem- bers of the different degrees was always done in blue, the sacred color, but the de- signs as shown in the accompanying fig- ure are different, and various medicines which are mixed with the paint are differ- ent. Fig. 4, a, shows the regular paint for a first degree member; &, the so-called iyatapit] c, bear paint, because it is mixed with bear medicine. (At this point my instructor said that the real color refer- ring to the bear was yellow, representing his muzzle, but for the purposes of the lodge, blue was used.) d shows the paint- ing which represents the horned owl and the roots belonging to that animal which are added to make it strong. The paint in this degree is daubed over the eye- brows only, but in every case a round spot of blue is put at the base of the neck. When a man is first initiated, a tnegisB INDIAN NOTES 1 GENERAL REMARKS 165 was shot into his right shoulder; the left shoulder for the second degree; the third time in the right leg; and the fourth time in the left leg. The first megisi is white, the second black, the third yellow, the fourth is smaller and colored both yellow and black. A man with all four of these objects in him has the highest po\ver that can be given anyone through the Mitd- win. It may be of interest to note that among the Plains Ojibwa, at Long Plains, Manitoba, information was received that they too have four degrees of the lodge, and that passing from one degree to an- other was done in a similar manner. They added that the medicine-bags re- quired for each degree were diflferent. GENERAL REMARKS ON THE MITAWIN The medicine-bag of a newly initiated member should always contain these four medicines: First, the kdndpdmik, or me- gisi which is the badge of the Mitdwin, and the so-called arrow of the bag with which the shooting is done; this is a cowrie shell AND MONOGRAPHS IV 166 MEDICINE CEREMONY of a type obtained from the traders. I believe that in former days American snail shells were used. It is exceedingly "bad medicine" for anyone to possess one of these shells who is not a fully accredited member. The shells are al- ways kept in the pocket formed by the left foreleg of the otter-skin, except in bags made from the skins of birds or very small mammals, when they are kept in the skull. The next medicine is the blue paint for painting the candidate. Next is the clam-shell and medicine containing the small lithospermum seed, or megisi, which is swallowed in the initiation, and the last is apisetciMn, or the medicine for "reviving back." In addition, colored feathers should be thrust into the nostrils of every medicine-bag to show its pur- pose. Any amount of other medicines may be added to the bag besidesthe neces- sary four, and generally the charm given to the owner by his dream guardian is placed there (pi. vii, b-d). There is usu- ally a medicine in the bag to protect the owner from witches, and to keep him from IV INDIAN NOTES 1 A, TOBACCO-POUCH OF SKUNK-SKIN; B-D, MEDI- CINE PACKETS OF BEADS AND SOUIRREL-SKIN ; C, SNAKE-SKIN MEDICINE-eAOi f. INVITATION OUIUS: MENOMINI. GENERAL REMARKS 167 injury should he attend a Medicine-lodge Ceremony held by any othertribe. There are other specifics for drawing megisisHk from the bodies of people shot by acci- dent or design. One bag in the collection of the Amer- ican Museum of Natural History, once the property of Oshkosh, a famous Me- nomini chief, is said to have contained sixty different medicines, each of which had its song; so that the bag was said to have sixty songs. Each bag has its own song in addition. Medicine-bags may be sold to others, according to some Indians, provided the proper ceremony to pacify the gods is performed, but no mitdo will sell the bag that he is using, otherwise he will surely die. The only bags that may legitimately be purchased are those whose owners are dead, and they may be obtained only after the final memorial celebration (pi. viii-xiv). The shooting of the megist, or migis as it is termed by the Ojibwa, is considered the most important part of the ceremony. AND MONOGRAPHS IV 168 MEDICINE CEREMONY The bag contains powerful medicines, some of which the owner places in his mouth before shooting. Before he shoots, he thinks to himself, ** I am a real and powerful mitdo. I own all these powers; " and if he is a sacred dreamer ^^ he thinks of that and calls on his guardian for help. He then blows on the bag, and the essence of his power then flies into the body of the person at whom the shot is directed. Care must be used in pointing medi- cine-bags. If one is shot accidentally by a bag, the bag's "arrow" may breed worms in the victim's body and the per- son so afflicted may die. Spectators are usually kept back from the ceremonial lodge about twenty-five feet lest they be accidentally hurt. Only special doctors can cure such a wound. Some miscellaneous Mitdwin data were collected, with specimens, among them a record of instructions for initiating a neo- phyte. This record was carved on a piece of wood; it was obtained from Robert Pam'apami, and was interpreted by K's6watosg as follows: First of all, the IV INDIAN NOTES I GENERAL REMARKS 169 instructor (fig. 6, a) must paint the face a b c d e fgh i j k I Fig. 6. — Menomini song record of wood. of the neophyte {h) with the sacred blue paint, meanwhile singing: Now you shall see this paint That I am about to paint You with, what it shall mean. When the paint is placed on his face, the neophyte shall have the power to know the use of all roots and herbs (c). Then follows the ceremony of instruc- tion {d), with its sacred rites opening with a dance and then with this song: N'hau nisaiyd ninimikHn uswapa'tah'enUn yom wiasinUkwuo heyom kaiiwdsi honinUn tipdkisik dsinUkwuo. Now we dance over this to show you what happiness this is that I have painted you over your face which resembles the heavens (blue sky). AND MONOGRAPHS IV 170 t MEDICINE CEREMONY • Then the instructor (fig. 6, e) sits down to rest, repeating the lesson to the neophyte and instructing him in the use of the great medicine roots and herbs (/-J), and exhorts them to follow the straight path of life (^), never to deviate from it and always to tell the truth, lest death (/) overtake him. A stick carved to represent Na^patao, brother of Ma'nabus, was collected ; it was made according to instructions from Na^patao, and is used at any rite of the Mitdwitiy especially the memorial services, or any feast or offering of any kind, such as the opening of a bundle. With it goes a tube symbolizing a flute, to show solemnity. The death rites were left with Na^patao, who gave them to mankind. These objects must be used to show the spiritual presence of Na^patao at the ceremony, and they are addressed as though they were actually that manitu. Peter Fish added the following notes on the water-drum and its use: When Indians desire to use the water- IV INDIAN NOTES GENERAL REMARKS 171 drum, they put in about four fingers of water (three or four inches), in which they throw some tobacco as a sacrifice. They then take the tanned leather drum- head and soak it in the water until it is saturated. Then they wring it out, place it over the top of the drum, and slip the hoop down over it, to tighten it as much as possible. If the head becomes too dry, the drum is tipped up in order that the water inside may wet it. The plug in the side of the drum is to let out air from time to time. After the dance, the ; leather drum-head is wrung out and care- fully dried in the sun. The reason for keeping water in the drum is for the sake of resonance. The drum is considered the messenger to all the Gods, Above and Below, who hear it and come when it is struck. The gourd rattle used in the dance represents the rattlesnake, because the rattlesnake also gave his assistance and medicines to Ma'- nabus. A certain plume of dyed feathers was collected. This plume is as powerful as AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 172 MEDICINE CEREMONY a bundle, for it has a red powder called ukemawas inside. The owner has many gifts showered upon him, and people are afraid to offend him while he wears it, for he can read their hearts. It enables this officer to see who in the medicine- lodge have done or contemplate wrong, so that they may be ejected. My informant assured me that age or sex was not considered in admitting a person to the medicine-lodge. The in- struction received in each case by the candidate was exactly the same. The women usually choose old people of their own sex as their instructors. Women have a different group of medicines to learn, as a rule, however, and these are connected with female diseases. Sex is no bar, so far as being an officer of the lodge is concerned. A woman who has the proper knowledge may be a pucwdo or an osehau. In concluding it is proper to include the following elaborate prayer to the gods, which is the one with which the Mitdwin ceremony is usually opened. The same IV INDIAN NOTES UILLED MEDICINE'BAQS OF O GENERAL REMARKS 173 prayer is more or less interchangeable, and can be used on the occasion of bundle ceremonies and the like. For the sacred myths a similar though less elaborate prayer is used. "We place our tobacco on the ground, offering it first to Ma'nabus, he to receive it and be pleased. We will pass on the same tobacco, of- fering it to the great cylinder above and the four great Powers that are seated about it, they to receive it and be pleased. We beg them to pass it to our great Grandfathers, the great Powers in the four tiers beneath, especially the white lead- ers of the two lower tiers who gave the lodge to Ma'nabus in order to still his grief for his little brother, whom they took away. Let them make it better, and pass it to those upper tiers and to those dwelling above the earth, in the four tiers of heaven. And you too, you Powers in the East, West, South, and North, be all of you pleased with this tobacco, and make our lives long and good for us, and make us strong, we beseech you. You too of the fowl kind, all the birds of the air, and you too, oh Sun, servant of Mate Hawatdk. You who start on your daily course guarding the world as you travel from the east, observing all things, stopping all evil, and the monsters who crouch in fear of you. You too shall have tobacco that you may be pleased and help us. You too, oh Moon, who guards AND MONOGRAPHS IV 174 MEDICINE CEREMONY the earth while Sun is gone, although it is then dark, and the monsters creep out, and the Evil One fares about. You too take this tobacco and help us." At the conclusion of the prayer, all the auditors cry, "Eh!" This prayer was the one which was offered by my inform- ant when he adopted me as his nephew before beginning the instruction in the rites of the Mitdwin. SYNOPSIS OF THE MITAWIN The Sacred Origin Myth Owing to its complex character, the writer has thought that it might be of aid to the student to summarize the origin myth of the Mitdwin, It is really divided into three parts. PART I Ma'nabus, the culture-hero, was placed on the earth to render it a fit place for his future relations, the people, to live on, and as a companion, the gods gave him a wolf as a brother. Angered at a remark made by the hero, the gods below IV INDIAN NOTES ^ mitAwin synopsis 175 enticed his wolf brother on the ice and drowned him. Ma'nabus endeavored in vain to find his lost brother, and decided to punish the gods, as he suspected them. He frightened them into desiring to make peace with him, and they offered him the Medicine Dance as the price of their lives. He finally accepted. PART II The gods below, aided by those above, prepared a medicine-lodge, as shown in fig. I. Four leaders, called pucwdwHk, were seated at the eastern end on the southern side, and four others, called ose- hausvUkj who did most of the work, in the center, two on each side. Ma'nabus sat with the pucwdwHk, between the first and third. The four pucwdwHk instructed him, and then the osehauwHk gave him a medicine drink, a megisi bead, and a med- icine-bag, and painted him. The puc- wdwHk then led him about the lodge, and seated him at the sacred seat in the west end of the lodge, where the head puc- AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 176 MEDICINE CEREMONY IV wdo attended him. He was then shot by the four osehauwdk with their medicine- bags, after which the megisisHk were taken out of him, and he was revived. Ma'nabus was then ordered to return the shots to those who shot him, which he did, until he came to the fourth, when his guardian pucwdo caused him to cease, that the bead might remain in him as a guardian. He was then dismissed with the warn- ing that he was to obey the instructions of the gods and deliver the ritual to the people exactly as he had received it. Ma'nabus begged that the evil spirit be destroyed, but the gods denied his re- quest. This part is similar to the per- formance of the initiation ceremony to- day. PART III After receiving the lodge and its ritual, Ma'nabus returned to the world, where he called upon his grandmother, the earth, to arise and assist him. The earth then arose, personified as an old woman, INDIAN NOTES MENOMINI QUILLED O r mitAwin synopsis and Ma'nabus taught her the entire cere- mony. He also gave her the root and herb medicines to care for. He then left her, and going to a well-known locality on Menominee river, called an old Me- nomini and had him assemble the tribal elders to whom he tendered the rites. The Initiation Ceremony The lodge opens, showing the partici- pants grouped as in fig. i. Near the eastern door are gathered the four pre- siding shamans, or pucwdwdk, together with the candidate. In the middle, two on each side, sit the osehauwHk^ or second group of four shamans. These men ac- tually lead the ceremonies. Near the western end, in the center, is the candi- date's seat. The ordinary members, male and female, throng the walls. The rites begin with a formal tobacco sacrifice and opening speech, after which comes the first really important element in the ritual, the four songs of praise and the hanging of the candidate's goods upon the ridge-pole. 177 AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M., IV — 12 r 178 MEDICINE CEREMONY Next follows a quiescent period, lasting the entire night, during which the candi- date receives instruction in the "ways of Ma'nabus" from the masters of the cere- mony. At dawn comes the second important feature, the hanging of a curtain in the eastern end of the lodge, and the formal opening of the day's ceremonies with a to- bacco prayer. Next comes another vital point, the ad- ministering of the sacred drink, painting, etc., of the candidate by the osehauwHk, A recess follows the giving of the medi- cine, during which the pucwdwiHk sing and drum. At its conclusion, two of the osehauwHk (the two on the north side of the lodge) return and sing, then the other two return. The pucwdwHk send tobacco to the osehauwHk, who divide it, give a prayer, and cause a ceremonial smoke to be held. Next follows an important session. The candidate is formally led to the seat in the western end of the lodge, and is seated. The first or head pucwdo is sta- IV INDIAN NOTES r ^ mitAwin synopsis 179 tioned behind him, holding his shoul- ders. The osehauwdk and certain invited members of the lodge now proceed to work loose the megis^sHk, or sacred "beads," with which their bodies are supposed to be furnished. These are examined by a servant, who reports as to whether their manner of falling on the ground is pro- pitious, and they are formally exhibited. Now comes the most spectacular, and one of the most important, parts of the ceremony — the shooting of the sacred power into the candidate by the four osehauwUk. Lining up in the eastern end of the lodge, each shaman in turn takes his animal skin medicine-bag, blows on its head, and holding it before his breast, trots down the lodge. In front of the candidate he points it, jerks its head for- ward, and the essence of its power passes into the candidate's body. The novice quivers, and, on the fourth shot, col- lapses, falling on his face. The fourth shaman leaves his medicine-bag lying on the candidate's back, for him to keep as AND MONOGRAPHS IV 180 MEDICINE CEREMONY his own thereafter. The shamans then shake the candidate to remove all the beads from his body. A feast is now in order, and, at its con- clusion, the water-drum, hitherto kept near the eastern door, is carried to the north center by servants, and turned over to the two osehauwHk there. These men sing each two sets of four songs each to the music of the drum. In each case the first set of four is sacred, the second is a woman's dance tune. The drum is then taken by servants and carried regu- larly about the tent to the two osehauwHk on the south side, who repeat the per- formance, after which the drum goes back to the eastern door. An important phase is now in order. The four osehauwHk arise and proceed cer- emonially to the eastern door, where they stand in a row across the lodge, singing. A general dance follows, in which the candidate joins, and promiscuous "shoot- ing" occurs. Immediately thereafter an- other notable event takes place. The four pucwdwdk and the candidate take IV INDIAN NOTES mitAwin synopsis 181 the fees of goods from the ridge-pole and distribute them to the four oschauwUk. The candidate then sits with the two osehauwHk on the north, while the puc- wdwdk continue to distribute calicoes to the non-official helpers. The pucwdwHk receive no fees. The ceremony is now concluded, and the head pucwdo so announces. The crowd passes out in two files, with cere- mony, through the eastern and western doors, leaving the candidate and the puc- wdwHk alone in the lodge. Private and Public Memorial Services The second function of the lodge is the private memorial ceremony done for the rest of the soul of the deceased. This takes place one year after the death of a member, and is held in the home of the chief mourner, who acts as host. The performance lasts one night and one day, with four days' preparation. The rites open with the master of cere- monies, chosen for the occasion, inviting the shade of the deceased to return from AND MONOGRAPHS IV 182 MEDICINE CEREMONY the hereafter to join the living in cele- brating the services. The soul is sup- posed to receive permission from Na'^pa- tao to come, and is soon present, being situated for the time being in the person of a guest, of the same sex and about the same age as the deceased, who is invited especially for this purpose. The guest of honor being animated with the soul of the dead, he is commanded to eat, after which the other guests also feast. At the conclusion of the feast the soul is begged to remain until the morrow, when it can be suitable dismissed. The first part of the ceremony is now over. The rites recommence at dawn, when, at sunrise, the guest of honor, still per- sonifying the deceased, comes to the house and is arrayed in new raiment and feasted. After this a general feast is given, at the conclusion of which the head shaman faces the guest west and dismisses the shade to return to the realm of Na^patao. The public ceremony, called Uswinau- amikdsko, or Obliteration Ceremony, is IV INDIAN NOTES r mitAwin synopsis 183 very similar, except that it is done only for a prominent mitdo^ and is held in the medicine-lodge. It is managed by two groups of four shamans, the pucwdwHk, and the osehauwHk; the latter, as always, taking the active part. The medicine- bag of the owner is present on the ridge- pole before the fourth pucwdo, and when, as often happens, this ceremony is com- bined with that of initiating a candidate, the novice receives this bag. At all events it may be disposed of to anyone after the ceremony. After feasting, the dish of the deceased, which is present, inverted on the floor, in the eastern end of the lodge, is set up- right and given to the guest of honor, who is then led out through the western door of the lodge (here used for exit and entrance for the only time during any Mitdwin performance), to the grave of the dead, if it be nearby. If not, the guest is merely led out of the lodge and faced westward. The shade temporarily ani- mating the guest is now dismissed, and the party returns through the western AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 184 MEDICINE CEREMONY IV door, pausing on the way to form a great circle, about which a certain number of invited guests pass, shooting. Then the party all enter the lodge, and the ose- hauwHk, and those who did the shooting, receive presents for which they sing their thanks. This concludes the ceremony. The Yatapewin, or Reinstatement Ceremony A person already a member of the lodge, who is ill, learns through some local seer that the cause of his disorder is his neglect of the rites of the Mitdwin or some other offense to the gods, and finds that he can obtain their favor and relief only by undergoing a second initi- ation ceremony. To this end he collects two blankets, two or three shawls, and some strips of calico. He summons four mitdwdk to act as pucwdwdk^ or leaders, and prepares a lodge. The pucwdwuk send tobacco, inviting four other sha- mans to act as osehauwHk, and they in turn invite the guests. Probably this is the regular method of sending out invi- tations. INDIAN NOTES 'J MEDICINE- BASS mitAwin synopsis At sundown on the appointed day the lodge is ready and the ceremony begins. The order of seating is reversed, the puc- wdwHk are seated with their drum, oppo- site their usual place; and the lodge, in- stead of being oriented east and west, is set up facing north and south. The ose- hauwHk remain outside. The candidate sits with the pucwawHk, who warn and quiz him. Then the head pucwdo opens the ceremonies with a speech and a chant, which his three com- panions continue. This is to consecrate the gifts, which are then hung on the sacred ridge-pole by the skaupdwis^ or servant. Two osekauwukj followed by a number of guests, enter by the northern door and circle to the east. Reversing the usual procedure, they return to the northern door and stand opposite the four pucwd- * wHk, and there sing, after which they go to their proper place, the east center, where they sit. The other two osehau- wHk then enter the opposite door with their retinue of guests, and go through the same performance. 185 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 186 MEDICINE CEREMONY When all the osehauwHk are seated, the pucwdwHk send them tobacco, which they sacrifice to the Bear God below, and all smoke. This is the second prime factor of the celebration. The head pucwdo now drums and chants the origin myth of the ceremony, passing the water-drum down the line to his three associates, who follow suit. They then consult, arise, and go to the osehauwHk in the center, whom they in- struct as to their duties toward the can- didate. The pucwdwHk now return to their place and thence lead the candidate once around the lodge, the fourth placing him on the candidate's seat, where the leader remains behind him to advise him. This is the third important feature. Next comes the fourth great part. The candidate receives the sacred draftand the megisesHk (black ones are used for this ceremony), and is painted (fig. 4, b). Af- ter this the four osehauwHk and certain invited guests first loosen, then vomit up their megistsHk, which are inspected by IV INDIAN NOTES mitAwin synopsis 187 the skaupdwis to see if they have fallen propitiously, and are then exhibited. After this comes the important moment when the four osehauwdk line up in the end of the lodge opposite the candidate, and shoot him, exactly as was done in the first degree. The last one knocks the novice prostrate and leaves his medicine- bag on the candidate's back. The can- didate is then shaken to get forth the megis^. Now the three pucwdwHk who have re- mained behind at their own place to drum and sing, come to the middle of the lodge and continue. The four osehauwHk join them, and the candidate is revived, a notable feature. He then exhibits his megisi, is made to swallow, remove it, and again exhibit it, after which he in his turn shoots the four osehauwHk, and the spectacular general shooting performance takes place. The pMcwdwHk now return the drum, and it is carried about the lodge four times, the pucwdwHk stopping at the doors to sing. They are followed by the AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 188 MEDICINE CEREMONY women, who dance. After this the same performance is gone through to the sound of the gourd rattle. The rattles are then turned over to the servant, except that held by the leader, which is given to the first osehau. Then follows an important part. The osekauwHk each in turn discourse on Ma'- nabus, and then sing two sets of four songs each, the first set being sacred, the second women's dance songs. After this the drum is placed in the north center, and the four osehauwHk stand opposite the pucwdwdk and sing, while a dramatic general shooting ceremony takes place. The ceremony concludes with the distri- bution of fees by the pucwdwHk, and a feast, after which all exit as in the first degree. It will be observed that the skeleton of the function throughout is very similar to that of the first-degree initiation, though the ceremonial progress about the lodge and other features are reversed. IV INDIAN NOTES DECORATED Pi CINE-BM (PL. : SIGNS THE IOWA MANKANYE WACI, OR MEDICINE DANCE ORIGIN MYTH This ceremony started below where the sun rises, in Mokicutzi (the east), where there is the great green sea (Dje'to). The forefathers said that the earth and all the elements were made by Wakanda, the creator. He made us, the people, and all things that are possessed of life — the trees, the herbs, the weeds, the grass, and he gave to each a use. All the fowls that fly are his work ; all the insects and things that creep and crawl on and in the ground. So he is called Mao^, the Earth-maker. A being was sent from above to the forefathers, who said: "I am the son of God.^^ Since you Indians are destined to live in the world, I have been sent to instruct you. I bring you fine clear days, days without clouds. That is the first gift I have for you. I shall make it so AND MONOGRAPHS IV 190 MEDICINE CEREMONY you can see spider webs between the heavens and the earth.^ I bring also food for you. I give you the green leaf, tobacco, for you to plant and raise, to use to make peace and to worship. It must always be kept by you. Maize also I bring you, Oh people! Little round spotted squashes are to be yours. All these things I have fetched you, Oh peo- ple! I give you light showers, and cool, cloudy, and foggy days. Such days are 'otter days,' for then those sacred animals shall come out. Now also I shall give you a long tcUhredji [medicine-lodge], with its door facing the sunrise." Then the being showed them, the fore- fathers, the bark cords used to tie the lodge-poles together. He showed them how to make earthen kettles to cook food for their medicine ieasts. "This is why I gave you food," he said. And even as he spoke, Lo! there lay before him all manner of game ani- mals, already cut open, with their vitals cleaned and exposed. " Now I shall tell you the rest of what IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA ORIGIN MYTH 191 you must do, and what I shall tell you shall come to pass, and it shall last as long as this earth." Then the being selected four of the ancestors, two men and two women, and he placed them at the four corners of the medicine road, in the east, north, west, and south, of the road that runs from right to left.^ Then the being vanished without further words. He had given authority to these four to conduct the dance, and to give it its name, and he was to give them power and teach them its rules through their visions: they were to be his servants. Yet there was one thing which they had not, and which he had not given them as yet, and that was life. So the four took their places, and when the spring began to open, before the grass had started, they traveled all over the world, searching for life. They followed streams and rivers, they crossed the deeps; they even tasted of the roots, the herbs, the leaves, and the trees. Everywhere the four sought it. They AND MONOGRAPHS IV 192 IV MEDICINE CEREMONY tried all over the dry land, and even de- scended under the water, but they could find nothing on this earth, so they as- cended into the heavens. They hunted all over on high, yet were they not satis- fied, so they returned once more and scoured the. earth, and even beneath it. At last they said to one another: *'We have hunted for life, but we can- not find it. Perhaps it lies in the lodge and its ways. All we can do is to worship our creator and struggle along on our existence. When we cook food we must let its savor arise to the nostrils of our Great Father, the creator, and pour out the grease on Ixuixiwi, our mother, the earth. ^ What we forefathers say and do now shall be the law for those who are to follow us." TCEKfiUYOKfi. OR INITIATION BY PUR- CHASE This is the regular initiation ceremony for the raising of a new member, whether man, woman, or child. Three other types of initiation are possible, namely, INDIAN NOTES IOWA INITIATION 193 • initiation in the place of a deceased member on the ante-mortem suggestion of the late incumbent; initiation in the place of a deceased member at the can- didate's request; and the initiation of a brave on the conclusion of a successful war-party, by presenting a medicine- band leader with a scalp. All these forms will be discussed in connection with this subject at the close of the description of the regular rites. If an Indian wishes to join the medi- cine-lodge, he makes application to the leader of whatever band he prefers to join. In so doing, he says: ** I like the ways of the Medicine Dance and I'd like to join." The leader replies: "I shall not ask you to join, but if you desire to, of your own free will, you will have to try hard to get a large quantity of food. Get something to put down [a lot of blankets or, anciently, bufifalo- robes, to be used as presents to the lead- ers, etc.] on the floor of the lodge, then come to me, when you have found all these things, and we'll put up the lodge. AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M., IV — 13. 194 MEDICINE CEREMONY " You must also have a tanned deer-hide ready to make the drum-cover. When you are all prepared, then come and notify me, and I'll sing all night where you can hear me, so that when you join, my songs will be yours." The candidate (tcekieoke) then gath- ers a quantity of goods (blankets, robes, garments) which are acceptable to the band-leader. This often takes some time, especially as the leader may, if he chose, repeatedly reject the offerings until he is satisfied. When all is ready, according to his promise the band-leader sings all night in the presence of the candidate (usually in the leader's own lodge, or in the medicine-lodge itself) and a waiter or a servant, and the rest of the leader's band, who have been notified by means of the usual invitation quills, or else a number of little dogwood twigs (pi. xv, b, e) sent out, one to each member, by the leader. The singing and instruction con- tinue all night and all next day. Quick exits and returns for natural duties only are permitted. IV INDIAN NOTES IED1CINE PAFtAFHERNALIA ir shoulder Bash worn by in»iii IOWA INITIATION 195 In the morning the leader calls all his band to assist him in teaching the candi- date. "When you join our society you must respect it and attend carefully to what you do," he says. "This dance is life, the new life that you gain. Here is this road in the lodge, and this fireplace;'^ you must respect them and this building. Wakanda above looks down on you and you are standing on the Earth, your mother, who is looking at you also; so again I ask you to respect this ceremony. Whenever you come into this dance, re- member that you are not supposed to sit. You must keep moving, carry your otter-skin, and thank all those who are present. That is the way to show your respect." The members of the band which the candidate is petitioning to join seat them- selves in the east of the long lodge, with the neophyte on the right of the leader, whom henceforth I shall call the east leader (fig. 7). As the other bands appear in the morn- AND MONOGRAPHS IV 196 MEDICINE CEREMONY ing, they enter in due form, making the regular four stops and songs, and thank- ing those who have preceded them. f^o ooooo^ooooo* o o n o \ ^o ooooo^Qoooooo^ Fig. 7. — Diagram of Iowa medicine dance, (a, a, leaders of the bands; sK candidate; O O members; # fireplace; X waiter and assistant.) They sit, as usual, in order of their ar- rival, in the north, west, and south. When all are seated, the east leader, without rising, thanks them all, and con- tinues as follows, at no time stating def- initely that the candidate desires to join the society, but merely hinting to that efifect. "Our friend here has brought these things as an ofifering to us. He likes our ways, and he likes us, so he has pro- vided this feast for us." When he has finished talking, the east IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA INITIATION leader calls upon the waiter to carry the drum to the north leader, who in his turn discusses the feast and gifts pro- vided by the candidate, remarking that the newcomer "may not get any benefit from this, but he likes our ways. There- fore, he must act kindly toward all peo- ple." After thanking those present, the north leader sings seven or eight songs "standing still," while his band makes four ceremonial circuits of the lodge, throwing out their upturned palms and thanking all the other?. When they have finished, the east leader gets up and leads the candidate round the lodge to thank the members. When they have made the circuit, they are seated again in their places. The other three bands now all dance "standing still." This is repeated by the west and south bands in an identical manner, and then the east leader takes the floor once again, and talks still another time of the candi- date and his feast and offerings. He says, in part: "This man wants the road. He may think it is a great thing, but it AND MONOGRAPHS 197 IV 198 MEDICINE CEREMONY is not.^ He may want to eat our food the rest of his life, but that is nothing at all." • One after another, all the band-leaders orate in a similar strain. Then the east leader goes about the lodge and whispers in the ears of the other three leaders, asking them to select two members of each band to vomit forth the sacred shell. As he passes on, each band-leader con- fers in whispers with his associates. The east leader then causes the candi- date to arise and take his gifts on one arm, while the east leader takes him by the other arm and conducts him four times round the lodge, thanking all the members. If the candidate has kin present, they arise and accompany him and help him thank the others. This is done in order to show that they are supporting him in his attempt to gain admission. After the fourth round the goods are spread on the floor in the east end of the long tent, and the candidate returns to his place. The east leader then announ- IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA INITIATION 199 ces that all is ready, and calling each of the other band-leaders by name, asks them to cause their shell producers to perform (fig. 8, b). Each leader then has the two shell producers whom he has w O O OpO O O O • O O Oj^O O i^ m O XX X^X X X ^^ooooooioo o°o O O "^ y Fig. 8. — Diagram of Iowa medicine dance, (a, blanket spreads; 3fc candidate; b, shell producers; c, c, leaders; d, d, members; e, fireplace; f, waiter and assistant.) selected, be they male or female, arise. The two belonging to the north band first make four ceremonial circuits, thanking the others, and take their position at the eastern end of the array of gifts. On their fourth round the two western-band performers rise and follow, taking their position next to the north-band couple, and lastly the south-band people do the AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 200 MEDICINE CEREMONY same. Then the first shell producer (we will say that all the performers are women, for the sake of variety) thanks all present and lays her otter-skin before her on the blanket spread there, and so on, until all six have done the same. Then the first shell producer kneels on one knee and thanks those gathered, and the others do likewise. Then all six thank the other members, and proceed, one after the other, to cough or vomit up the sacred shells, with which they rub themselves. (At this point, my inform- ants, Dave Towhee and Joe Springer, in- terrupted the thread of their narrative to say that young people were never chosen to perform these rites, only those of mature age being taken;) All six now rise with the shells in their hands. Had they been men they would have begun their prescribed songs, but, as they are women, the first says: **I can't sing very well. I thank you all, but I want my leader to sing a song for me." This, of course, is a purely formal excuse, as the woman may be a famous IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA INITIATION 201 singer. The leader, however, comes around and stands beside her, with his otter-skin in his hand, and asks the east leader how many times he shall sing. The east leader answers, "Four." On the last song, the woman circles the lodge, showing her shell, held in her upturned left palm, to all present. Then she takes her place at the foot of the line, which, accordingly, moves up one point, so that when all have performed, each will be back in her original position. The leader now goes back and seats him- self. The second woman now speaks and asks her leader, the same who has just been seated, to sing for her. He re- plies, **//aw.'" and comes around beside her, when he asks the east leader how many songs he shall sing. This time the answer is, '* Three." For the shell vomiters of the west and south bands, the same performance is carried out, save that the west leader sings two songs for each of his women, and the south leader but one apiece. AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 202 MEDICINE CEREMONY • Then all six women circle the lodge four times. On the first three rounds they thank the other members, on the fourth they cry ''Oioioioioi!'' and as they get back they swallow the sacred shells once more, and fall down as though dead. All the others hold their otter-skins before their bodies, as though about to shoot, all quivering. In the meantime the east leader has had the drum carried to the north leader by the waiter and his assistant, and a dance song is commenced. The per- formers arise, and all the members com- mence "shooting" all members of bands other than their own. This lasts during the singing of six or seven songs. Then the north leader makes a ceremonial cir- cuit, followed by the north, west, and south bands, stopping at the four cere- monial points and returning to his orig- inal post. At each pause he gives the ceremonial cry, and the attendants shake their rattles. Now the women all sit down, and the north leader circles again, pretending to stop at each cardinal point. IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA INITIATION This is repeated in turn by the other bands, save the east, which continues passive. All this time the waiter is still beating the drum. At last all are fin- ished and the east leader once more has the floor. He preaches for a while, then orders the waiter and his attendant to bring in the food. When this is done, he tells them before which leaders to place the several varieties of food. Then all the leaders talk at once, haranguing on how they joined, what they paid for the privilege, what they could do, what they could say, and about the ways of the forefathers. They also sing four songs. Then the distinguished man, whoever he may be, to whom the east leader has ordered the waiter to give the head of the principal animal utilized in the feast, speaks in a like strain. A silence now falls, and the north leader chooses a man or woman from his party to act as waiter for his band, and so on, around the lodge. Three or four kettles of food are set aside to be given to four distinguished non-members whom 203 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 204 MEDICINE CEREMONY the waiter is sent to invite in, and one kettle is sent outside to be given to some chief or brave and his friends. There is a further thanksgiving ceremony, and the candidate also thanks all the members present. When the members thank the others, new members must rise and go round to thank everyone personally, but members of four or more years' standing may call out their thanks from where they sit on their mats. All then fall to. When the feast is over, the east leader gives orders for the last man who came in to lead the way out, so all pack up their bowls and spoons and pass out dan- cing. As they reach the door, each turns about and thanks the east leader. This ends the first day's ceremony. In former times the candidate was re- quired to give one feast to the society each year for four years. Now admis- sion is gained in two to four days. The second day's performance is practically identical with the first. After it is over, the east leader says to the candidate: "You must now blacken your face with IV INDIAN NOTES 1 IOWA INITIATION 205 dirt or charcoal and see what you can learn by fasting. You may be vouch- safed some knowledge of the herbs and roots. The servants of Wakanda [the lesser Powers Above] may give you good news. They may show you even some of the hidden mysteries of the lodge." On the third day still another feast is prepared by the candidate, and the east- band leader confers with the leaders of the other bands. He says: "This man wants to join. Take pity on us and help us take him in." Probably this council is after the ceremony. They then decide that the man now acts like a member; they have looked into his eyes and have judged by his actions that he would make a good member. There seems to be some confusion in the informants' statements as to the exact nature and sequence of events at this point. This is no doubt caused by the fact that, whereas in former times it took a candidate four years to enter, the procedure is now shortened to four days, or, as sometimes happens, even to two AND MONOGRA PHS IV r 206 MEDICINE CEREMONY IV days. This would account for the state- ment that after the third feast the candi- date was given four days to prepare him- self and his clothes and gifts for the final initiatory rites, this doubtless being the rule when his final elevation to the rank of a member of the society was done in the fourth year. For the four days' ceremony the candi- date has provided a large quantity of food, a whole new suit, and ten blankets, or, as was formerly the case, robes of buffalo, elk, bear, and panther, and otter or eagle skins. A support, or rather a horizontal bar, is placed in two forked sticks before the door of the lodge, and on it these fees or gifts are hung. Should several candidates be joining simultane- ously, each has his or her own bar with its burden of presents. When everything is in readiness, the members repair to the lodge, and the east leader orders the waiter and his assistant to prepare a sweat-lodge. For this they procure wil- low to build the frame, and four stones are taken and heated in a fire a little way off. INDIAN NOTES IOWA INITIATION They also prepare a cushion of sagebrush and dry white grass, chosen because its color is symbolic of the old age which the candidate will attain through mem- bership. The waiter then informs the members that the sudatory, which is placed near the lodge, is ready, and the members come forth and sit on the ground in a ring between the sudatory and the med- icine-lodge, in the prescribed order of their bands. The waiter meantime cov- ers the lodge with a new blanket, pro- vided by the neophyte, and which will go as a gift to whoever is appointed mas- ter of ceremonies in the sudatory. He also has ready a new bucket, also pro- vided by the candidate, to hold the water. In former times a ceremonial sweat-bath, identical with that about to be described, was held before each of the four parts of the ceremony. Now it seems only to be held on the fourth day. The east leader selects and names one of the other leaders (I believe he custom- arily takes the north leader) to be master 207 AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 208 MEDICINE CEREMONY of ceremonies in the sweat-lodge, and for the rest of this section on the sudatory he will be referred to as east leader, since he occupies that post. Then two or three of the members of each band, both men and women, strip and enter the sudatory ^^ one at a time, in order after their leaders, who enter in succession, and sit down within in the same order as they would in the medicine-lodge. The master of ceremonies, being the east leader, who enters last, on this occasion, with the candidate, and the other leaders and their parties, are disposed to the north, west, and south, in the order of their entrance. The bands being seated, the east leader begins a speech. He thanks all present, and discourses of Wakanda and his goodness, after which he sings what is called the "long song." He may sing two of these; then he sings two dance songs. All this time he pours water on a hot stone which has been brought in between two green sticks and deposited there by the waiter. The east leader also tells where he received his authority IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA INITIATION 209 to perform these rites. When he is through, he passes his pail to the north, where that leader gives a similar dis- course, sings two "long songs" and two dance songs, sprinkles the water on a fresh hot stone brought him for the pur- pose, and passes it on to the west and thence to the south, where in both places similar observances are carried out. This concludes the ceremonial sweat. When four sweats are taken, one pre- ceding each night's t)r year's ceremony ^ the candidate moves from the right "of the east leader to the rightof the north, west, and south leaders oh succeeding nights. FINAL RITES: INVESTMENT OF THE CANDIDATE IN THE BRUSH On the last night, when the candidate enters the lodge he is turned over, "given away," by the east leader to the north leader, who assists him to dress in the gala garments which he has provided for the occasion. Then, before the first dance, the north leader takes the candi- AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M. — IV, 14. f 210 MEDICINE CEREMONY date by the arm and marches him round the tent back to his place, where he dances, stationary, when the others be- gin. The rest of the ceremony is the same as usual, except that, just before dawn, the east leader, the waiter, and one of the east band, go out to a secluded place in the timber, where the leader makes a large fireplace. During their ab- sence the others take a recess to sleep. When they have completed it, they re- turn and inform the other leader where It IS. At daylight all rise and tell the east leader and the candidate to proceed to the secret fireplace and they will follow. All are told to bring thread, awls, etc., along with them, and to have ready any old rotten medicine-bags which they wish to throw away, for a "new man is com- ing." The idea is that it is taboo to mend or to refurbish the medicine-bags except at such a time. No matter how badly an otter-skin is torn, it cannot be mended or thrown away or a new one substituted until the members meet in the secret IV INDIAN NOTES 1 IOWA INITIATION 211 brush when a new candidate is coming in. At this time also those who have pre- pared new quill- or bead-work for their bags exhibit it to the other members and announce that they are about to use it. Customarily, food is brought over to the hidden fireplace, but there is no rule re- quiring it, and it is always secreted about the persons of the women who fetch it. In passing, it should be observed that the fireplace is purely symbolic, and is never used. When all have assembled and are seated in regular lodge order, the candi- date sits to the right of the north leader who now sits in the east as master of ceremonies. The waiter retires to a dis- tance, and all commence to paint and dress and mend their otter-skins. No one paints another's face or mends an otter-skin for nothing. Heavy fees are expected, and usually a person has a rel- ative do the work, if possible. Facial painting is usually done with red or sacred blue paint, or with white clay from mole hills — circles and semi- AND MONOGRAPHS IV 212 MEDICINE CEREMONY circles about the face for the men, while the women make four spots on each cheej^ with the first two fingers of the right hand- to represent otter tracks. The heads of the otter-skins are also painted blue at this time. At noon food is provided by the women members, and all pray and eat. After this all dance, but no rattles or drums are used. For this performance they all stand in a circle. Each leader in regular order, beginning on the east with the present master of ceremonies, lays down a robe in the center, and in- structs the candidate concerning the history, secrets, and rites of the lodge, especially the hidden mysteries of the sacred shell and its use. They tell him at this point, among other things, the story of the "otter hunting," which will be found at the end of the description of the lodge. They then make a seat for the candi- date, after asking whether he prefers to sit or to stand, as it is his right to choose^,- Then a man or two from the north bandV rv INDIAN NOTES 1 IOWA INITIATION whose leader is master of ceremonies, stand behind the candidate and hold him. The north leader then stands in front of the candidate and feigns to shoot him three times with his otter-skin bag. On the fourth he does shoot, and the candi- date falls flat. Presently the candidate rises and shoots the master of ceremonies, and this performance is repeated until the candidate is thoroughly accustomed to the method of using his pouch in shoot- ing. Now all return to the medicine-lodge, leaving behind their bundles for the waiter to gather and bring after them. In returning, the«ociety divides in halves, two leaders and their bands on each side. Then they go trotting home in a spS*al course. Whenever the two bands get opposite each other, those on the south side shoot at those on the north, always taking care to see that their otter-skins are pointing northward (fig. g),^ It should require only four rounds of the spiral to take them back to the lodge from the brush. As they approach, the 213 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 214 MEDICINE CEREMONY waiakida, or soldiers, drive the crowd back with whips to a safe distance, out of range of shots from the medicine-bags. O o o o o o o o o oo o o o o o o o o o o o FiG. 9. — Diagram of Iowa medicine dance. (• leaders; O members.) When they arrive at the lodge, the four band leaders sing four songs each, just outside the door, while the members con- tinue to dance and shoot each other. Then they enter, and the candidate is led around to thank the members. Then he is caused to stand on the south side of IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA INITIATION 215 the door, facing north, and the leaders each arise and lecture him: "We give you more days [years] to live. We give you life. You must be good and you will survive to have a white head and to see your grandchildren.'* Then the ten robes or blankets pro- vided as payment by the candidate are spread in front of them, and a bridle, signifying that the candidate has also been given a horse, is laid on them. Now all the clothes on the candidate go to the north leader, who acted as master of ceremonies in the brush ritual. These should consist of feathers for the head, ear-bobs, necklace, handkerchiefs, shirt, arm-bands, leggings, garters, moccasins, and breechcloth, with a blanket to throw over the shoulders. The rest of the ma- terial is divided among the. north, west, and south leaders. The east leader, having received a new member into his band, is supposed to be content with that. However, each day of the ceremony the candidate has been required to "place a blanket under the drum," that is, he AND MONOGRAPHS IV 216 IV MEDICINE CEREMONY has given the east leader a blanket meta- phorically for this purpose, but which be- came the property of that worthy. The north leader also, as a matter of fact, usually gives the east leader a present out of his gains. It is customary also for all the leaders to make gifts from their fees to old and prominent members of their bands. The initiation usually costs the candidate, in food, blankets, and other presents, several hundred dollars by our reckoning. When the candidate takes off his new suit in the lodge to give it to the north leader, he is furnished with cast-off blankets in which to wrap himself. The garments are bundled up in the new blanket which he wore on his shoulders, and turned over to the east leader, who delivers them. The waiter now brings in food, and the east leader orders him to carry out the drum and gourds and hang them up out of sight. The feast consists of the best food ob- tainable, such as buffalo, deer, elk, ant- INDIAN NOTES IOWA INITIATION elope, bear, turkey, corn, and piimpkins. There was one special ceremonial dish, however, that was formerly ^of prime im- portance, although Springer, himself a leader, has never seen it brought in dur- ing his time. This was a corn-meal cake in the form of an image of some large game animal, which was brought in a painted box-shaped parfl^che and de- posited in the center of the viands. If the east leader had ever given the lodge a feast of the flesh of an animal of the kind represented, it was his privilege to handle, carve, and distribute it. If not, the rite passed to the other leaders in rotation, and then to the common mem- bers until a properly qualified person was found. If no one could present the proper credentials, a brave was chosen. The person who finally did the carv- ing, first announced, "At such and such a time I gave the lodge a feast of this sort, and therefore I am privileged to butcher this animal." Then he could divide the cake himself, or pass the knife to someone whom he chose as his assist- 217 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 218 MEDICINE CEREMONY ant. The "butcher" had a lot of little twigs or sticks which were laid on the cake in such a manner as to show how the cuts were to be made, so that each mem- ber might receive a portion. The cuts indicated had to be followed scrupulously in the division. The task of carving is said to have been extremely difficult. The food is now all set before the mem- bers, and all the leaders in turn speak con- cerning the lodge, the medicines, their powers, revelations, and the like. After this, all the leaders except the east leader sing at once, creating a general discord. When this is over, several chiefs and braves among the outsiders are called in and assigned a portion of the feast, and some one is sent outside for the elders. One of those who have been called in to eat with the lodge members arises and says: "I thank you all, medicine people. I am very glad to have had a chance to eat with the others this sacred food of- fered to and blessed by Wakanda. I thank you all, women, children, and men. It IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA INITIATION 219 One or more of the elders who was fed outside now usually is admitted to make a similar speech in behalf of themselves and his party. When the feast is fin- ished, all pack up their bowls, spoons, and bags, preparatory to leaving. The south leader speaks and thanks everyone, concluding by saying, "Let us all arise." All the south band rise, and he sings four songs; then all walk out, passing round the west end and back to the east, where they thank the east leader. This they repeat three times, then pass out, turn- ing around at the door to thank the east leader again. The west leader then sings four songs, circling three times, thanking the east leader, and passing out. The north leader does the same. The east leader now sings four songs and orders an as- sistant to lead his band, the east band, three times round the lodge. This he does, thanking the east leader, and turn- ing around at the door to thank him again, he and the east band depart. Last of all the east leader is thanked by AND MONOGRAPHS IV 220 ■ ■- — f '• ' 1. —4— "-1 -^ ■ ■ MEDICINE CEREMOT^Y the candidate, who leaves him to come out alone. WANAKI GERATUNG'A, OR INITIATION TO TAKE THE PLACE OF A DECEASED MEMBER A medicine-lodge member who is very ill and believes that he will not recover, thinks over his family, especially his chil- dren, to see if he can find a suitable suc- cessor for his position in the lodge. If he has no family, he calls for his sister, brother or any relative whom he thinks suita4)le, .and- sends for his own :band leader and one or two more. Perhaps he may call all four to his bedside, where he says to them: "I fear that I shall not recover. I have an otter-skin, and my place in the lodge is about to be vacant; but I hate to see it lost. I cannot bear to think that it will be empty." He then ad- dresses the assembled leaders by kinship terms: "I thank you, my uncles [or brothers or whatever the case may be]. Look at this boy here. I want him to IV INDIAN NOTES f^ ■ , - - -^- ■ -* — ■ - - — - — — ^ 1 '/ IOWA INITIATIO N . 221 joift ^the lodge. It is my desire that he should' eat what should have been my portion'. I love him, and I ask you, re- lations, a favor that is very great and I do not wish to be refused. I want this lad to take my place. All that I have I shall turn over to him. I'll teach him to hold on to the lodge, to seek it out and learn its mysteries." When he dies, the leaders, who of course had acquiesced in his presence (for such a deathbed request is never re- fused) assemble and order the candidate to attend ftb- his- funeral, telling him to come to them four days later. The can- didate 'meanwhile' has feasted his rela- tives and tbld them, with the usual pre- lude of .ceremonial thanks, "I want to eat this food [the medicine-lodge's sacred feasts] and join this lodge, so I ask your aid." To which they reply, volunteering donations, although no such amount is required as in the case of an ordinary initiation. When this has been done, the candi- date calls the leader of the deceased mem- AND MONOGRAPHS IV 7 222 MEDICINE CEREMONY ber's band to which he himself belongs, and inquires whether or not he has enough. The leader inspects the goods and passes them, and then talks with and advises the candidate. It is now necessary for the candidate to be given a ceremonial sweat in the presence of the band leaders, in order that they may judge, by his looks and actions, whether or not he is fit to be a member. The waiter is therefore or- dered to obtain four willow sticks for the sudatory framework. Willow is chosen because it grows bent over like the dome of a sweat-lodge, and because its pollen is white, symbolizing the white hairs of old age which are to come to the new member. Four stones are also gathered and heated. When the lodge is erected, the four leaders and the candidate enter. The east leader (the leader of the band the candidate is to enter) appoints one of the others as master of ceremonies, as he himself must be befittingly humble. With the performers is a pail of water IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA INITIATION 223 with cedar leaves in it. Each takes some of the cedar, chews it, and spits and rubs it on his body. Then the master of cer- emonies sings four songs and talks about the old medicine ways: "There are four stones here that our waiter heated red-hot for us. Here are the cedar and our water before us. We did not start this custom; it was begun many years ago and has been handed down from our great forefathers, and we are doing only what we have been taught by our ancestors." Then he sprinkles water on the hot stone, and passes the bucket to the next leader, for whom the waiter has fetched in another red-hot stone. He also puts in Indian tobacco. This leader sings four songs, sprinkles and passes the bucket to the next, and so on until all have taken their turn. No one dares make any mistake in the rigid formality of the proceeding, for Wakanda is watch- ing it all. Meanwhile the other members are waiting in the medicine-lodge for the AND MONOGRAPHS IV 224 MEDICINE CEREMONY coneluMon of this ceremony, and when all is over the leaders and the candidate go into the lodge, where the latter is seated in the candidate's usual place to the right of the east leader. The east leader now announces: "We have now come to a hard place. I ask you all to watch closely and not fall asleep, for now this lodge will give up a dead man. This candidate is not yet among us, and the spirit of the deceased is watching us yet, until he joins. If any- one falls asleep, the ghost will take that person with it. At any other ceremony we could be less strict, but this time they offer us a dead body. You must all, men, women, and children, stay awake four nights. When it is over, you may sleep all you wish; even during the per- formance you may sleep in the daytime, but not at night." The ceremony then proceeds exactly as in an ordinary initiation. If any one shows signs of dozing, the east leader re- bukes him, saying: "You belong to this dance. Here is the Earth, your Mother, IV INDIAN NOTES. IOWA INITIATION 225 and your Father Above. You are sup- posed to be lively." Besides the differences cited, the can- didate is also kept on his feet all night, being led around thanking the members, and being instructed in his duties and privileges. Sometimes, when a member has died, his relatives arrange a feast for the four lodge members, and during it one of them will "give the lodge a dead man,'* by telling them that he wishes to join m the deceased's place. They reply: "Have your relative buried, and some time later [from four days to six months, according to the preparedness of the candidate in the matter of gifts and fees] we will attend to your case." In this instance, since the candidate offered himself as a member, instead of being suggested by the deceased, he is required to pay nearly if not quite as much as an ordinary candidate, conse- quently more time is given him to make the necessary preparations. AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M., IV — IS. 226 MEDICINE CEREMONY JOINING BY GIVING A SCALP Sometimes a man or a group of men may go to war, intending to join the lodge by purchasing admission through the transference of their prospective war- honors to the lodge leaders. This they keep entirely to themselves. Should the war- party be successful, on its return it is customary for the members to stop a little way from the home village, shout, and wave their blankets. Then they circle about while the people come out to greet them. Then those who wish to join the medicine-lodge send word to the four leaders, giving their personal names without stating what they wish, and ask- ing the shamans to meet them half-way between the war-party's camp. (The war-party always remains by itself to prevent contamination by contact with menstruating women and other suppos- edly impure persons.) When the four leaders appear, they are each given a robe to sit on, and each brave (there may be from one to four who desire admission; in this case we will IV INDIAN NOTES SCALP GIVING 227 suppose there are three) presents one of the leaders with a scalp, stretched on a hoop and fastened to the end of a three- foot stick, saying: **I have not returned, and I give you this to dance over. I give you my deeds to count as your own.^® You know what I want now. I desire to be one of you people." Another brave, presenting a scalp to the second leader with the same formal- ity, remarks: " I want to sit with you too; I don*t care where you put me. My de- sire has always been to sit with you, and Wakanda has helped me to it. Here is my part; I give it to you." The third candidate speaks in like manner. The four band leaders do not accept the scalps at once, but withdraw to talk the matter over. They discuss the re- quests, the candidates, and the trophies, and then, if all is well, they return, and one of them says: "Good news, but not the news you brought us, which was better. You have asked us for a seat in this lodge. We don't amount to much. AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 228 MEDICINE CEREMONY but if all you want is a seat and the priv- ilege of eating with us, we will be very glad to give them to you. That's what we have concluded. You, * successful partisan' [or whatever title the first can- didate has earned on the warpath, and so on],^^ we give to this leader over there," designating the one of the four leaders to whom no application had been made. The second applicant is given to the first band leader, who has just given his man to the fourth, the third to the second leader, and the third leader who received a warrior's overtures receives no one into his band. The time of the initiation is set four days later. "You braves must get ready to take your clothes off then," they are told by the leaders; for the braves, in- stead of being dressed in all their Iowa finery, like ordinary candidates, enter stripped to the clout and moccasins, in fighting trim. They give no more pres- ents, for the reason that the scalps and war-honors transferred are considered sufficient. IV INDIAN NOTES A QUILLED OTTER-SKIN MEDICINE-B: WASHING-OFF FEAST 229 KIGIROyA. or WASHING-OFF FEAST When an initiation ceremony is con- cluded, everyone hastily bundles up his otter-skin bags and wipes off the sacred paint, leaving a few daubs here and there around the corners of the face, so a few days later any member who wishes may invite the four leaders and a few friends among the other members to a little feast. The feast is held in the host's wigwam, where all take regular positions, the host's band starting in the east. A waiter is also provided. When all have arrived and everything is in readiness, the east leader announces that this feast is given so that the family can go into the sweat- lodge and cleanse themselves of the med- icine-paint. " He also wants us to fix up the family otters [pi. xvi, xviii], and wrap them up better," they say. For this speech and service the leader is given a fee by his clients. All sing, the food is brought in, the leader of the band dishes out the food, which is served by the waiter, and the ceremony is com- AND MONOGRA PHS IV 230 MEDICINE CEREMONY IV pleted. After an initiation ceremony these feasts are held by so many people, in various lodges all over the village. PEXU WACI, OR SPRING MEDICINE DANCE Early in the spring, after the grass is out, leaves have unfolded, and flowers are budding and birds singing; when horses and wild animals begin to shed their winter coats, is the time set for the first Medicine Dance of the year. Many de- sire to join then and learn the mysteries. Then some band which is desirous of conducting the ceremony, get together, and all the members hunt and prepare the game that is brought in for a feast. The lodge is erected, and the night before the day appointed, and before the invitation sticks have been sent out,'*^ the leader of the host band (whom I shall afterward call the east leader, because of his posi- tion in the lodge during the ceremonies while his band is host) sings all night long. At that time, if there are any can- didates for admission, they are privileged INDIAN NOTES MEOICINE-BAQS ^d Dmament on ull ; b. large r IOWA MEDICINE DANCE 231 to attend and stay with him to learn all they can. While the singing is going on, the mes- senger is bearing the invitation sticks to the other band leaders, and they in turn are sending out their quota to their fol- lowers. The members then repair to the wigwams of their respective leaders, where they are feasted and harangued, and prepare to go to the long lodge. Meanwhile the east leader's messen- ger returns and tells him that he has de- livered all the sticks. By this time the east leader has all his band in the eastern end of the medicine-lodge, awaiting the coming of the others. Whoever first arrives (it makes no dif- ference who it may be) comes to the door and looks around, speaks a few words, sings one song, and enters, followed by his band in single file, first men, then women. He then passes round the lodge, stopping at the north center, the west and the south center, at each place hold- ing up his invitation sticks and singing one song. He then circles the lodge four AND MONOGRAPHS IV 232 MEDICINE CEREMONY times with his band, thanking the east leader and his followers on each round, calling them each by some kinship term. On the last circuit he returns the invi- tation sticks to the east leader and seats himself at the north center, his followers all being seated on his right along the Wall toward the west. The leader of the next band to arrive goes through the same performance, singing one song at each point of the com- pass after the ceremonial entrance, mak- ing four circuits, thanking both the east and north leaders and their bands, and seating himself on the west with his fol- lowers at his right trailing around toward the south center of the lodge. The leader of the last band to arrive goes through the same forms, thanks the three bands and their leaders, and takes his place in the south center, with his party to his right extending toward the door on the east. Beyond them, near the door, sit the lodge waiter and his helper. The east leader now rises and thanks IV INDIAN NOTES R-SKIN MEDICIN^-BAOS IOWA MEDICINE DANCE each of the band leaders and their bands in rotation, addressing them as ''You who are sitting on the cold side [the north] ; you who sit on the side where the sun sets [the west], and you who sit on the warm side [the south]." His own side, the east, is of course "the side where the sun rises." ^ When the east leader has concluded his speech of thanks to the others, he orders the waiter and his assistant to carry the drum, gourd rattles, and the pillow that the rattles are struck upon, to the north leader, whose band, it will be remem- bered, adjoins his own. The waiter and the assistant obey, making the entire cir- cuit of the lodge, and deliver the drum and other objects on the second circuit, going on around to their places once more, completing the round. The north leader takes the drum, and, assisted by two of his band who wield the rattles, sings and thanks all those present. He then recites the ways of the old people in connection with the dance. He says, for example: 233 AND IMONOGRAPHS IV 234 MEDICINE CEREMONY "Today, as we handle our otter-skins, it is like shaking hands with the old people who have gone before us, for they too used to hold them. They made this rule which we follow today, to raise up our otters' heads and dust them off. We will today kick our mother who nurses and raises us." ("Our mother" is the earth. To "kick" her refers to the In- dian method of "stamp dancing.") He instructs the lodge for some time, then he and his band sing. They rise and circle the lodge, thanking all present and calling them by kinship terms. They then return to their starting place and holding their otter-skins to their hearts they perform 'a "standing-still dance," that is, they dance up and down but re- main in the same place. Eight or ten songs are sung, no one sitting except the drummer and rattlers. After these songs, the band is seated while the north leader speaks again. Finally, he returns the drum, gourds, and pillow to the east leader, who tells the waiter to carry them to the leader in the west, which is done IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA MEDICINE DANCE 235 with the same ceremonial circuit as be- fore. The west leader goes through the same procedure as the north leader, and the drum is next taken to the south leader. When he has finished, the drum goes back to the east leader, who says, refer- ring to the member of his band who is making the feast: "This man [or woman] who is feasting us Ma^kani [Medicine People], has done well. Everything is good. He does well to make us think of our forefathers." When he has finished, he walks in suc- cession to the leaders of the north, west, and south bands, and whispers in their ears to select and prepare two members from each band, of either sex, to vomit forth the wacucke (the ** medicine arrow" or cowrie shell, generally known to the Algonkian tribes as migis or megisa) on blankets which will be spread for them. The east band, being the host, does not take an active part in this. The person who arranged the dance now spreads six blankets or calicoes (for- AND IVIONOGRAPHS IV 236 MEDICINE CEREMONY merly bear- or buffalo-robes were used) east of the fireplace. First, however, the east leader leads him four times around the lodge, with the blankets over his arm. Meantime the drum and rat- tles have been carried to the north leader. After the four ceremonial circuits and the laying of the "spreads," the east leader announces that all is ready. The north leader then orders his two shell producers to begin, so they rise, circle the lodge four times, thanking the other members, and take their stand be- fore the two easternmost blankets, facing north. On the last ceremonial round the west leader orders his two performers to rise and follow. They in turn make the four circuits and take their places next to the two who preceded them. On their fourth round the south leader has meanwhile ordered his men up, and in the same manner they ultimately stand beside the others. All six are now lined up, facing north with a blanket before each. The first IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA MEDICINE DANCE 237 man on the east now thanks all the lead- ers and lays out his otter-skin bag on the blanket; and so on, one after another, all six performers do the same. Then, one after the other, still beginning on the east, they thank all the members present, drop on one knee, and thank all the leaders again. (In all these ceremonial thankings it must be remembered, even where no mention is made of the fact, that kinship terms are used toward the people addressed.) The performers now cough or vomit up the sacred shells. This is an act calling for much exertion, and often the per- former hacks and retches while the other performers hammer him on the back and try to coax forth the shell, which is sup- posed to remain always in his breast, a sign of his membership. At last the shells are all forthcoming, and the actors take them up and rub themselves over the body with them, at the same time uttering prayers for health. They then arise, -holding the mysterious sacred shells in the upturned palm of the left hand. AND MONOGRAPHS IV 238 MEDICINE CEREMONY while the otter-skin is clutched to the breast with the right. The proceeding now varies. If the first of the performers is a woman, she is obliged to call on her band leader to sing for her, as will be shown in the section on initiation. If a man, the actor sings for himself. After four songs he passes all round the lodge, exhibiting the sacred shell in the upturned palm of his left hand, while he still grasps his otter-skin medicine-bag in his right, returning and taking his place at the foot or west end of the line. After this, the second perfor- mer sings three songs and shows the shell, returning to the foot of the line, which in each case moves up one place, so that when each has shown his shell, all will be back in their original positions. The third actor sings two songs and repeats the performance, while the fourth, fifth, and sixth sing one song each, though the exhibition circuit is by no means omitted. All the performers being lined up once more in place, they circle the lodge, going as always to the right, for three times IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA MEDICINE DANCE 239 without incident. On the fourth round, however, each swallows his sacred shell and all fall to earth as though dead. The drum is then beaten smartly, and they rise, as do all the other members, except the musicians, and the well-known "shooting ceremony" occurs. That is, each member of each band blows upon the head of his or her otter, cries ^^ Pht^- hi'hi'hi'^!^' and points it at some member of some other band than his own; the medicine arrow containing the sacred and secret essence of the bag is supposed to penetrate the victim's body, and he falls into a trance of longer or shorter duration, rarely over a few minutes, according to the power of the shooter. The Iowa re- gard this performance rather lightly, as compared with the Central Algonkian tribes. It is called "Going on the war- path," and seems to be regarded as a di- version rather than as a serious duty; at least, that is the impression given at the present day. The "warpath" lasts during four to six or seven songs. Then the musicians AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 240 MEDICINE CEREMONY rise and take the drum to the waiter and his assistant. They themselves now. carry the gourds and pillow round the lodge, acting as though they would stop before each leader until they come to the place next beyond their own, when they leave the gourds and pillow. They give the medicine cry, ^' Phi^hi'hi'hi^!'' at every halt, real or pretended. The waiter now takes the drum to the west leader, who has already received the gourds, and it is his turn to repeat the ceremony. The west leader now harangues the assembled members, and with the same formalities two members from each of the other bands, save his own, are called on to produce the sacred shells and ex- hibit them. With an exact repetition of all the rites, the drum then goes to the south leader, and finally back to the east, whence it started. The east leader then sings, and all rise and dance. The east leader then talks, thanking all those present for having come and respected the donor's feast, and the waiter is requested to bring in the food. IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA MEDICINE DANCE 241 The waiter and his attendant sort out the different kinds of viands, placing each variety — bear, buffalo, elk, deer, turkey, or whatever it may be — before the north, west, and south leaders. The east leader then orders the waiter to give the head of the chief game animal to some dis- tinguished member whom he mentions by name as his choice. Beginning with the east leader, one after another the heads of the bands repeat the sayings and teachings of the forefathers with re- gard to the medicine-lodge feasts. Then all the leaders and members at once (save the host) strike up a song of thanksgiv- ing, and the feast which ends the cere- mony is begun. The east leader maj' choose to send out the waiter to fetch in some chiefs or braves, who are not members, to share in the feast. They are placed beside the waiter next to the door. During the entire performance, waidkida^ or "soldiers," keep guard at the door to prevent the intrusion or in- terference of non-members. AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M. — IV, l6. r 242 MEDICINE CEREMONY NATOWHANI WACI, WHEN-THE- LEAVES-FALL DANCE, OR AUTUMN CEREMONY In the autumn someone will give a feast to the society and the members will talk over lodge affairs. Someone says : " Well, it's time for us to dance once more. The trees have all shed their leaves, the sap has gone down, and the otters have all gone home to. the bottom of the water. All the insects have left this country, the birds have gone south, the mammals have crawled into their dens and shut their doors on us, so we must do up our otters and put them away for the winter." This ceremony is occasionally held in midwinter. Candidates may apply for admission in the fall as well as in the spring, but at no other time of the year. The members often dress entirely in yel- low to symbolize the turning leaves in the fall of the year. The ceremony is given by the host to please the people, and with prayers to Wakanda and Mo- ther Earth to give him longer life. IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA MOURNING RITE 243 The four lodge leaders are well pleased by this, and they join him in his prayer for longer life. Sometimes they add a dance in praise of Wakanda and to help the host. As they dance, they raise their hands aloft and pray. After the dance a feast is held. The leader takes some good meat on a spoon, holds it up, and prays to Wakanda to bless it. This ends the Autumn ceremony. MANKANYE TCEINAU ("MEDICINE DEAD ROAD"). OR MOURNING CEREMONY When a member of the lodge dies, the others convene and sing medicine-songs all night. These are mournful wailing songs, sung at no other time. In the morning they take tobacco and tie it on the corpse's wrist, and paint the face of the deceased with sacred medicine-lodge paint. Then one of the old members or a leader is chosen to instruct the soul of the dead man how to reach the Here- after. He tells it to follow the road that leads through the lodge due northwest to AND MONOGRAPHS IV r 244 MEDICINE CEREMONY the future world. It must not look back longingly at the land of the living and its relatives, but go on, crossing the river of the dead on a rock bridge to get to the land of the ghosts. THE "OTTER HUNTING" Under the title of " Otter Hunting" the following is one of the long sermons delivered to candidates who are being prepared for initiation into the lodge. It accounts for the origin of a number of the lodge's customs and paraphernalia, such as the use of otter-skin bags, and explains many of the practices of the shamans, the red feathers in their mouths, etc. A man used to go hunting every day. He blackened his face and traveled with- out food, hoping that through fasting and mourning some favor might be granted him by some of the God Powers. It was in the winter, and one day he found fresh otter-tracks in the snow, so he followed them to see what they meant. The trail led through a draw, or wooded IV INDIAN NOTES N MEDICINE-e*GS < t OTTER HUNTING" gully, and then on, over a hill, down into a hollow, and on over the top. All day long he followed it, until at last he found a ravine with a creek flowing at its bot- tom. The creek was frozen, but out in the center he saw a great round hole in the ice, with clear water beneath. He heard a great whistling (the characteristic call of the otter is supposed to be a whistle), and saw the Otters holding a medicine dance, just like people, in the water with only their heads sticking out. The hole was fringed with jingling ice, and the bells on the feet and tail of our otter medicine-bags represent this. Their tinkling is the sound of the crackling ice, and they are fastened on the margin of the tail and feet to represent the road round the otter's lodge. In some cases the quilled design on the otter's tail shows a straight longitudinal line. This repre- sents the road of life (pi. xix). The Otters were seated in a ring, and in the middle was an old Otter, dead, but propped up as though he was sitting there. The Otters were initiating some- 245 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 246 MEDICINE CEREMONY one in the dead member's place. Pres- ently the Otters looked up and saw the man observing them, so they spoke to him in a friendly manner: "This is what we have been doing (al- ways). We were taught this by Wa- kanda, our great father above, and we want you to take it, and use us [i.e., our skins to hold the medicines] in this dance." Then the four Otter lodge chiefs came together and said to the Indian: "Watch. Pay strict attention, and observe what we are about to do, so you can do likewise." So the four prepared to perform one act at each corner of the universe. The first or east leader arose, spoke a while, dived, and came up with a man's bloody scalp in his mouth. "We do this," he said, "and this is the way you shall do. I give you this strength and power on the warpath." This is the reason why the red feathers are put on each side of the mouth of the otter-skin bag. They represent the bloody scalp. The second leader spoke IV INDIAN NOTES *'OTTER HUNTING"' 247 and dived, returning with a catfish in his mouth. The third leader likewise talked and dived, coming up with a buflfalo-fish. The fourth Otter did the same and came up with a minnow. When the dance began the Otters shot these fish at each other instead of the magic white shells. Now, we people should use the lodge on the good side, and the shooting should be done for pleasure and not for evil purposes as some do, especially now- adays. That is the way the Otters were taught, and they told our old forefather. They explained to him that the proper terms to call the leaders were: "The man sitting on the cold side" (north), "The man sitting on the sunrise side" (east), "The one sitting on the warm side" (south), and "The man sitting on the side where the sun sets" (west). These were the names they used to call their leaders, and they were supposed to be little gods (wakanda-aii^ya) . Moreover, the Otters showed our old forefather some of the great things that they did. One pointed out a bird, an AND MONOGRAPHS IV 248 MEDICINE CEREMONY eagle, or a hawk, sailing so high in the air that it was almost out of sight. Then he ran around in the water and whistled and shot at it with his medicine-bag, and it fell downward to them, dead. "This is another thing we give you people," said the Otter. The man looked at it in amazement, and when he went back home, later, he told his band, but they said they thought it was wrong to do this. They decided that it was better to substitute feasts for killing by magic. "Let us rather cook on the earth, so that the juices and grease can fall on our mother, and the savor can rise to Wakanda. Feasts will promote goodwill and do away with evil." Yet in recent years the medicine-lodge has had members who, while fasting with blackened faces to learn more of its secrets, have learned evil. It is very al- luring, and the evil Powers can imitate Wakanda; yet this was by no means in- tended in the beginning. The roots and the herbs have been learned by fasting. When the thunder IV INDIAN NOTES ti OTTER HUNTING" 249 appeared to dreamers, there was some- body in it who spoke to them and told them what to take for certain diseases. He is one of the great Powers. If anyone falls ill, the relatives come and get a doctor from the lodge, who goes over and feels and examines the sick man to diag- nose. Then he applies this medicine. He boils his roots and makes liquor for his patient to drink. Maybe he washes him with the brew, and he covers the sick man with a buffalo-robe, to sweat him. He gives medicines to inhale and others to bathe the head. When a child is ill, and they are nearly done doctoring it, they give it a mild sweat-bath ; an adult gets a much stronger one. After the sweat the patient is bathed in cold water. Then the doctor goes away, but returns later to see how his work on the case is progressing. Another method of treatment is this: When a person is very ill, several sha- mans of the lodge get together and make a medicine-drum, one of the deep kind that has water in the bottom. Then they AND MONOGRAPHS IV 250 MEDICINE CEREMONY all sing their great doctoring song before the patient, to please him and aid him to sleep. They tell the sick one to try to dream about himself and see if he can thus locate any cure. All these things were given to the Iowa by Wakanda for their use, though we can- not cure everyone. HANWAHE WACI. OR DAY DANCE OF THE MEDICINE-LODGE AND BUFFALO DOCTORS A Medicine-dance member may cook a lot of food for a day dance. Then the lodge invites the buflfalo doctors to at- tend, and they are placed on the south side of the long tent, while the Medicine- dance members sit in regular order on the north side. The performance is called " Making friends with the buffalo doctors." The Medicine-dance mem- bers then dance one round, while the buflfalo doctors look on, and keep re- spectfully silent, especially during the "warpath" shooting. When it is all over, the medicine dancers return to their IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA DAY DANCE 251 respective places, and it is announced that the buffalo doctors may take their turn, which they do. At its conclusion, the east leader of the lodge says to them : "My friends, you are fine on wounds, we all know, but we are good at invisible trouble. We can take a person who is down to skin and bone and we can bring him back to health so that he can walk along the road (of life). That is our work." Sometimes the buffalo doctors would say to the medicine dancers, "We'll dance the Buffalo dance and you'll see a real buffalo in our midst." This feat they would perform. "Well, Medicine-dance friends, that is what we can do; that's our power and strength. That was a person who turned himself into a buffalo. Now let us see you dance." The medicine dancers agreed, and as they danced, the others saw that they drove a black bear in front of them. They ceased, the bear lay down, and behold! it was only an old bear-hide full of blood from which an old man sprang. AND MONOGRAPHS IV 252 MEDICINE CEREMONY "There, brothers, is what we can do; that is our strength and power." Once a big Medicine Dance was going on, and during the night a bad outsider made a wooden mentula and threw it into the lodge. Both the medicine dan- cers and the buffalo doctors were angry, and they quietly sent someone to find out who had insulted them. He was not hard to find, for he boasted, ** If they are so powerful, why don't they find out who I am, and shoot me?" The messenger reported to the east leader, and when the dance was over, both societies got together and had a council over it. They decided to get up a horse race, as their insulter was fond of such. They planned to have some- one whom he would not suspect get up the race and offer many prizes. The race was to be one of those conducted for the dead, for the Iowa had this funeral custom, and it was offered by a woman. The offender, although he had been warned to beware, was a participant. The four leaders of each society took IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA MEDICINE DANCE 253 their followers and concealed themselves in a patch of woods on opposite sides of the race-course, which was about three miles long. The medicine-lodge people had told the buffalo doctors that they might shoot the horse, so when the cul- prit galloped by they did so, discharging their magic arrows until the horse fell with a broken neck. At the same time the medicine-lodge people shot the man, whom they killed in the same manner, so that both horse and rider came to the earth simultaneously. Then the aven- gers withdrew without a word, and no one was at all sorry about it. SUMMARY OF THE IOWA MEDICINE DANCE Origin Myth The son of God instructed the people as to the manner of founding a lodge, and appointed four officers of both sexes to be the four band leaders. He then van- ished without "giving them life." The four officers searched all over the world, and finally decided that life, which they AND MONOGRAPHS IV 254 MEDICINE CEREMONY could not find, was to be obtained through the lodge. Initiation by Purchase The candidate approaches a band leader with presents, and finally wins acceptance of his petition. Invitation sticks are sent out, his band gathers at his wigwam or in the medicine-lodge, and there instructs the candidate. The next day, the band the candidate is petition- ing (the host's band) seats itself in the eastern quarter of the lodge, with the candidate to the right of the leader. The other three bands enter in due form, making four stops to sing and to thank those who preceded them. They sit, in order of their arrival, in the north, west, and south. Speeches to members in explanation of the candidate's designs. The candi- date is caused to make a ceremonial cir- cuit to thank the members led by the host (leader of the east band) . The other three bands dance in their positions. After the circuit, the leaders of the three bands in turn lead the candidate about IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA MEDICINE DANCE 255 the lodge to perform the rite of thanks. Speeches are next made by the leaders, and the host causes each to select two members from his band and to exhibit the megisi. After this, the candidate is led about the lodge once more to thank members. Six blankets are then spread out in the eastern end of the tent, and the members who were selected to ex- hibit shells cough them up on the blank- ets. After a song the performers swal- low the shells and fall over. The drum is carried to the northern end and a gen- eral shooting ceremony now takes place, the members of the society shooting all those of all the others promiscuously. The north band then makes a circuit, in rotation, followed by all the others, ex- cept the host*s band. A feast is next served, and the outsiders are invited in. All now pass out, thanking the host and his band. The second day's ceremony is very similar to the first. Some confusion exists as to the se- quence and time of the events, evidently owing to the fact that formerly a period AND MONOGRAPHS IV 256 MEDICINE CEREMONY of four years was required for admission. The first performance is the hanging of the bar on which the candidate's fees are placed; then a sudatory is erected, and the members go out and sit in a circle between it and the medicine-lodge. The host names another leader (generally from the north band) to be master of ceremonies. Then the leaders enter the sweat-lodge in rotation, followed by a few members of each band, and after certain songs a sweat is had. This is repeated by each band leader. Final Rites: Investment of the Candidate IN THE Brush The host turns the candidate over to the north leader, who dresses him in gala garb. Just before dawn the host, waiter, and one of the host's band go to a secluded place in the timber and make a fireplace. At dawn all go to the fireplace, led by the host and the candidate. All carry worn- out medicine-bags to mend or to throw away. After painting, refurbishing, and mending these bags, all the performers IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA MEDICINE DANCE 257 dance in a circle; then the leaders instruct the candidate, after which the candidate is shot by the north leader. All now re- turn, the company dividing in halves, trotting spirally, with general shooting. As they approach the lodge, the leaders sing four songs each. Then they enter, and the candidate is led about to thank the members, after which he stands in the south side of the door and is lectured. The next step is the distribution of the fees, and a feast, whose chief feature is the division of an animal-shaped cake. Braves who are not members are invited in to eat. The rites now conclude with a ceremonial exit. Initiation to Take the Place of a Deceased Member A lodge member who is at the point of death selects his successor and sends for his band leader, whom he notifies. The candidate provides, with the help of relatives, presents for the leaders and a sweat-lodge. A ceremonial sweat is given to the leaders by the candidate. AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M.. IV — 17 258 MEDICINE CEREMONY IV After this, all enter the medicine-lodge, where the members await them. Sleep is taboo to all present. The rest of the performance is the same as in the regular initiation. A variant form of this initiation is when a candidate is taken in to fill a dead member's place at his own sugges- tion. Joining by Giving a Scalp Usually several warriors perform this rite together. On the conclusion of a successful war-party they send word to the band leaders, who meet them secretly and accept scalps and the titles earned by the braves as admission fees. Later the braves are initiated, and, unlike or- dinary candidates, they wear no clothing during the ceremony except clout and moccasms. Washing-off Feast In order to wash ofif the paint and ar- range the family bags, the east leader of the most recent ceremony is invited to a feast, where he performs these services. INDIAN NOTES IOWA MEDICINE DANCE 259 Spring Medicine Dance Any band desiring to do so, gathers feast materials. A night is spent in sing- ing, while invitations are sent out. On the day chosen, the bands enter. Ceremonially the first to arrive takes the north position, the next the west, and the last the south. The host (east leader) thanks each in turn, and one waiter carries the drum and rattles to the north leader, who sings and preaches. His band next circles the lodge, and, re- turning, dance in position, holding their otter bags close to their hearts. The musical instruments are returned to the host, who sends them next to the west, and so on. At the end of this, the host goes to the other leaders and whispers to them to prepare two of each band to exhibit the megisisHk, The person who arranged the dance now spreads six blankets east of the fireplace, and the two persons chosen to exhibit the megisisHk from the east band arise and go over to the easternmost blankets. AND MONOGRAPHS IV 260 MEDICINE CEREMONY Then each in turn lays his bag on the blanket and thanks the leaders. Then each kneels on one knee and coughs up his megisi. Each sings and exhibits the shell, circling the lodge, then returning to the foot of the line, which moves up one. All now circle the lodge four times, on the last circuit swallowing the megisisHk and falling, but soon arise. General shooting with the medicine-bags then fol- lows. The west leader harangues all the others. A feast is next given, which finishes the ceremony. Autumn Ceremony This is a simple ceremony of dancing and prayer, followed by a song. Mourning Ceremony This is entirely unlike the Menomini ceremony, consisting of a wake during which songs are sung and the soul of the dead man is instructed how to reach the hereafter. IV INDIAN NOTES IOWA MEDICINE DANCE 261 The "Otter Hunting" This is a sermon of instruction to can- didates in which they are told how a man once learned some of the rites from the otters. It also explains certain symbols and decorations on the bags. Hanwahe Waci This is a combination ceremony held by the medicine-lodge and the buffalo doctors, in which each society shows what it can do. AND MONOGRAPHS IV 262 WAHPETON DAKOTA WAKAN WACIPI, OR MEDICINE DANCE INTRODUCTION My informants, in gathering informa- tion on the Wakan Wacipi in 19 14 near Sisseton, S. D., were Jingling-cloud, who, while not a member, has seen the cere- mony on one or two occasions and has frequently heard it discussed; his grand- mother, TaisnaKotewin (Gray-shawl), a woman then eighty-seven years of age, and a man whose father had been a prom- inent member. Most of the information came from Mrs Gray-shawl, but, on ac- count of her extreme age, it is not so satisfactory as that obtained from mem- bers of other tribes, being quite hazy as to details. This is not surprising, as the ceremony has not been performed by the Wahpeton dwelling at and near the Sis- seton Agency since the sixties. Mrs IV INDIAN NOTES WAHPETON RITE 263 Gray-shawl appears to have been an of- ficer in the lodge, perhaps a band leader, but I could not be certain of this. Among the Dakota, the medicine-lodge was composed of four bands, the leading band being called Becdeka^ or Sauk, after the tribe from which the society was tra- ditionally derived. The other bands were known by the names of their leaders. In Mrs Gray-shawl's time these were: lyangmani (Running-walker); H'oka, or Singer; Wakanhdi-inyanka (Fast-light- ning ; Ma'^z6mani (Walking-iron). Which one was leader of the Becdeka is not ap- parent. Jingling-cloud said that mem- bership in each band was based on similar visions, but Mrs Gray-shawl, whose testi- mony is more important, since she her- self was a member of the society, said that membership in any band was op- tional with the candidate who applied to the leader of the band preferred. Young people often obtained their in- formation from their parents and joined their band. Sex was no bar to member- ship, but very young children were not AND MONOGRAPHS IV 264 MEDICINE CEREMONY taken in as among the Menomini. Mrs Gray-shawl was a member of the division led during her time by lyangmani; her sister belonged to the Becdeka. The paraphernalia of the society was as follows: The deep water-drum found generally among other tribes, gourd rat- tles, and medicine-bags made from the skins of otters, white muskrats (used only by men), divers (used by men only), loons, prairiedogs, and perhaps others (pi. xx). The different bands had dis- tinguishing marks. The medicine otter- skins of the Becdeka group had cut crow- feathers fastened on their backs, and the members of this group wore crow- feathers on their heads. The mem- bers of Running-walker's band wore eagle-feathers with five or six dots of blue paint upon each. These were worn by both men and women, and all new members of lyangmani's division re- ceived these feathers to wear when they were initiated, as a symbol that they would soon do a brave deed. At no other time might a woman wear an eagle- IV INDIAN NOTES WAHPETON DAKOTA MEDICINE- DANCE WAHPETON RITE * 265 feather, for though women had the right to receive eagle-feathers for acts of bravery, custom demanded that they give them to their male relatives to wear. The Wahpeton medicine-bags are fur- nished with curious double-pointed ob- long objects which seem to be cut from yellow or white shell, and these are used instead of the small shells which are the medicine-arrows of other tribes. In ad- dition to these objects, invitation quills, dyed after wrapping the quill (pi. xxi, d) with bark or string, so that when the pig- ment is dried a white spiral stripe remains on the length of the quill, are also used by the society, together with wooden bowls and spoons for feasting (pi. xxii, a-c), which are always furnished with handles carved to represent medicine birds or an- imals. These are used by the society in contradistinction to the ordinary eating bowls and spoons, which are invariably plain. Most of the spoons are of wood, but some are of buffalo-horn. Tiny magic bows and arrows are used to shoot AND MONOGRAPHS IV 266 MEDICINE CEREMONY * offenders or their images in the lodge to punish them for their transgressions. Feather plumes are worn by the mem- bers. These consisted of split and dyed feathers fastened in whole quills taken from larger birds. These and the feather objects of Running-walker*s band were kept in folders of buffalo-hide or in shal- low wooden boxes made for the purpose. Quantities of red and white swan- or eagle-down were also used to place upon sacrifices and to strew on the floor of the lodge. The root and herb medicines were kept in folders or wrappers of deer- skin or bark, or in woven bags of bass- wood string and yarn, such as are used by the Central Algonkians. Others made of bears' ears trimmed with wampum, or of deerskin adorned with animal and geo- metric figures embroidered in porcupine- quills, were also employed. Some of the medicine-bags which were not ornamented were supposed to have been able to cry out during the dance. This is a common idea among other tribes. The old-fashioned medicine-bags IV INDIAN NOTES D MEDICINE-DANCi PARAPHERNALIA dbn Bgainet witches finieh the feast ; d. ii arrow kept ai guardu WAHPETON RITE 267 had the underside of the tail and legs adorned with porcupine-quill embroidery fastened on deerskin. In some cases, in- stead of having a square piece attached to them, strings of quill embroidery were wrapped around the feet of the animal whose skin formed the bag. All were distinguished as medicine-bags by hav- ing dyed down thrust in their nostrils. The shell arrows were supposed to have been gifts of unktehi. Members wore necklaces of cowrie shells and bone beads, both of which were supposed to be alive. Thimbles were attached to these necklaces, in which dried fireflies were placed, the idea being that whenever such a necklace was worn, no one could be angry with the wearer. Three song records, made from small pieces of flat board, were obtained from a Wahpeton man and are in the American Museum of Natural History (plate xxiii and fig. 10, ii), while others (pi. xxiv) are in the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation. These are identical AND MONOGRAPHS IV 268 MEDICINE CEREMONY with those collected from the Meno- mini, Ojibwa, and other Central Al- gonkian tribes, and are used in the med- icine-lodge, the songs being represented ->^ ''-m.-. io'i^H m^. M 6 ■■ i, 43 ^m^M— * Fig. 10. — Wahpeton Dakota song records (obverse and reverse). by mnemonic figures which convey to the mind of the user the precise song and the order in which it is to be sung. These are placed before the singers in the lodge, who use them in rotation, singing first the songs on one side and then turn over the stick to sing the songs on the IV INDIAN NOTES n a, with carved handle lepresentinE bd owl's head ; carved handle representing lyah, the God of Gluttc wilh handle representing a bear's head. r WAHPETON RITE 269 other. Many of them are now forgotten. In fig. 10, a, the following were remem- bered but could not be identified: 1. A woman's song for the recovery of women from sickness. This song is: The woman wUl walk; the woman will walk; the woman will walk sacredly; the woman will walk again. 2. Deer song, used for success in hunting. 3. Deer song. 4. Sacred tipi song for the Wakan- wacipi. 5-7. One woman's and two men's sick- ness songs. 8. Medicine-lodge song. 9. Cloud song. 10. Drum song. 1 1 . Inktomi, spider song. 12. Crawfish, or water song. 13. Figure showing a man with a bow in his hand; arrow song. 14. Star (?) song; seems to be con- nected in some way with a gun. AND MONOGRAPHS IV 270 MEDICINE CEREMONY The reverse of the board (fig. lo, b) shows the following: 1. Buffalo song. 2. Song to the four points of the uni- verse (four directions), and the clouds. 3. Lightning song. 4. Thunder song. 5. Arrow song. 6. Thunder song. 7. Drum song. s.^iif^ 4^ K - - / > III \ A^_^X>_ltll4%.,: \]4P(«' (T /A'h Fig. II. — ^Wahpeton Dakota song records (obverse and reverse). The second record, which is short, has a little knob or handle carved at one end, and contains the following songs (fig. 11): IV INDIAN NOTES WAHPETON RITE 271 1. Buffalo song. 2. Sun song. 3. Summer song. 4. Drum song. 5. Cooking song. 6. Beaver-catching song On the reverse side: I. Man's song. 2-3. First and second parts of an otter song. 4. Fish song. 5. Spider song. The large record (pi. xxiii) is used like the others, the name of the song being announced and then the incantation made. It contains the following songs, among others: 1. An unknown song. 2. Second verse of the same. 3. Spider song. 4. Earth song. 6. Song to the stone, the oldest inhab- itant of the earth. 7-8. Wind songs. . 9. Cloud song (as follows) : ■ AND MONOGRAPHS IV WAHPETON RITE 273 the sides are squatted his associates, the heads of the various cults that make up the society. Now, while it is well to note that there is no such tipi used in connection with the Menomini mitdw'ikomik, or medicine- lodge, during a part of the initiation exer- cises one end of the long tent is closed off with a curtain, and here the candidate is instructed. This perhaps is in some way connected with the Wahpeton tipi. In front of the eastern door of the lodge blazes a fire over which the akicita, who police the ceremonies, cook the feast for the performers. ORIGIN MYTH Wakantanka, the "Great Spirit," came down from above in a rainbow before there was any earth — all was water under the heavens. As the rainbow neared the water, it rose up to meet it, and Wakantanka stood there upon the water. "I will make something to preserve all the Indians," he said; so he tore out AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M.. IV — I 8. 1 WAHPETON RITE 275 dive. He vanished beneath the surface and was gone a long time. Suddenly he floated up again, belly foremost, drowned. The two monsters caught him up, crying, *^ Eee, hOy ho^ hoj ho!^^ blew their medicines upon him, and put him to one side. Now they ordered the beaver to make the attempt, so he plunged. He was gone so long that the unktehi thought, "Surely, this time he will get the earth we need." But he too came up again, floating on his back, drowned. The two unktehi took him up, crying, "£ee, ho ho ho hol^\ blew their medicines upon him, and put him to one side. Then at last they spoke of the musk- rat. "This little one who has long wind, who is very powerful under water, he shall go down!" So the muskrat dived, and he was down a very long time. The spirits were excited: "He will come! It will be true!" they cried, and surely, he did come up, belly down, so they knew that he had some life. They took him up and examined him, and they found that his forepaws were tightly AND MONOGRAPHS IV WAHPETON RITE 277 unktehi sang the medicine-songs, and the animals came in groups of their own kind and sang. Then they sat down and rose and danced again. They shot each other with birds and eagle-claws, but they could not bring their victims to life, so the unk- tehi taught them to substitute shells (the Ojibwa migis) as their missiles. Then the unktehi put shells in the bodies of each of the performers that they might have them to use.^^ After the dance, the birds and the mammals went off and instructed the Indians by appearing to them in dreams, as the two unktehi spirits told them to do. The monsters themselves went down under the earth, and there they lie with their ears open to hear the Indians* pray- ers. From the hairs of these monsters come the grass and herbs and shrubs that are used to compound the medicines util- ized by the Indians to cure sickness and heal wounds. But these plants, when approached in dreams, will reveal themselves as human beings. When you go to dig these plants, AND MONOGRAPHS IV WAHPETON RITE 279 vided by the candidate, who has also to provide foiir stones, which are considered the oldest inhabitants of the earth. Each leader is also given fine new blankets or cloths, "to wipe the sweat from his body," by the candidate. After the sweat-bath the leaders hold a brief pipe ceremony. All the leaves are brushed away from a small space, and four little holes are made in a row and filled with red and white down. Sitting before these, each leader takes the sacred pipe and holds the pipestem to the ground, saying, "Grandmother [this term applies both to the earth and to the unk- tehi monster], smoke this calumet and give me this day something to eat." The stem is then offered to the zenith, with the words, "Wakantanka, give me this day something to eat." This performance is gone through at least four times by the prospective mem- ber. In addition, further knowledge, repetition of instructions, and the like, must also be bought in this manner. My informant sacrificed more than thirty AND MONOGRAPHS IV WAHPETON RITE side the lodge in the woods, is not prac- tised by the Dakota. All this time the medicine-lodge is being prepared. The ridge-pole is hung with fees, and the en- tire length of the lodge is strewn half with scarlet down and half with white. The following instructions are part of the teachings of the leaders to candidates for admission to the medicine-lodge. **Your own tipi has four sacred poles, and you must respect your lodge now that you are a member of the Medicine Dance. The four sacred poles consist of the three foundation poles and one other which forms the door-post. These poles represent the land tortoise, because of all animals the land tortoise has the strongest paws and is consequently fitted to hold up the lodge. The tent-pins rep- resent little animals with their tiny claws [the tiger salamander, Amhy stoma tigrinum]. The Ten Rules of Life "Rule I. — Before singing the song which gives a member admission to the AND MONOGRAPHS 281 IV WAHPETON RITE 283 presents must be given. If the deceased is a youth, you must give a man's clothes to the mourners. They must be laid on the body of the deceased, and a new blan- ket placed over them to cover them. These are to clothe the corpse for the burial. ''Rule 9. — All members are supposed to keep these rules and not tell them to non-members. They must not lie about their neighbors. They must not forni- cate. They must be kind to all mankind. If these rules are kept, the members will have long lives. '' Rule 10. — No one may refuse the invi- tation of friends. Therefore, when invi- tation sticks arrive you must go.^ "When entering the society you will observe, as you are in the sweat-bath, that water is poured on the stones. This is a purification to take away your worldly life and make you a new creature. You must gather red and white down for use in the dance, and also to place on the herbs and medicines whose use you will learn before you pick them up; also, to AND MONOGRAPHS IV 284 MEDICINE CEREMONY strew upon the floor of the lodge, to tie on the frame of the lodge, to throw upon the rocks, and to put in the lake before you dip up the water for the sweat-bath. Each root has its own song; you must put red down on it. Then sing your song and pick it up; but first you must cut a long slash in the ground and then sing. The slash symbolizes the bed of a snake, for each root represents a serpent. When the root has been dug up in this fashion, you may dry it and grind it up. *' If at any time you have not feathers enough for a pipe ceremony, or for any of these functions, you must sacrifice a dog. The dog must be painted blue before this sacrifice." "The rock which is used in the sweat- bath is your Grandfather; it is one of the first things in the world to be created, and it possesses this song, which must be sung for it: " Tukan he miye do Ma wakan he miye do. But it is I who am so mysterious. "The drum which is used in the Med- IV INDIAN NOTES WAHPETON RITE 285 icine Dance is made [metaphorically] from the skin of a huge bullfrog, because he cries so loud. The drumstick is made from the gray grouse (siyotanka) . The drum has this song. First you strike upon it and sing, 'The drum gave us this, and then you repeat four times — " Uncida denicuda cega de he he he wakan ide henicu. Grandmother gave us this kettle. This kettle (which) is mysteriously boiled. "This is the first song that is sung when the drum is taken into the lodge. It is struck four times before carrying it in. It is then placed in the center of the west tipi, but after the four strokes it is car- ried to the east. "Every medicine-bag has its song. The otter bag has its song, which is sung before entering the lodge, when the mem- ber stands at the door: " Mitunwan de nicudo UnkteHi gave you this through the otter. "The loon bag has its song: AND MONOGRAPH'S IV 286 MEDICINE CEREMONY " Dewakana kinukU de wakan do. Yo O ha e ho ho ho! The mystery will come (or appear). This is mysterious. "This song is sung at the western end, by the door of the round tipi. 'Another drum song is this: (( This is sacred and it is the only sacred drum. Ill This is repeated four times, and like all songs has the medicine-cry at the end. " Deceedeedan wakance wandake kte. The only mystery, the mystery, you will behold. "Another song is this, each line re- peated twice: "Miye wakanyan noka ce mini wanca Cokaya onkUhe miye wakanyan monk ce. I, who am mysteriously lying in the depths of the sea. (I), Unktehi, (who) am lying. "This was sung at the ceremony for the dead." At dawn the candidate is led into the IV INDIAN NOTES WAHPETON RITE 287 lodge and seated in the west corner. Four old members are now selected to make ceremonial circuits of the lodge, presumably four each, and then halt be- fore four blankets, the gift of the candi- date, which are spread toward the east center of the lodge* In turn each kneels, spreads his otter-skin before him, and vomits forth his sacred arrow or missile supposed to be permanently located in his left breast. At this time each man >ings to the music of the drum: Dewakan dohooof Uncida tatonwa tonka Now look at this grandmother her pack great wan de iayasa. make this arrow fly. If women have been chosen for this part of the performance, they may not sing themselves, but each must ask the leader of her band to sing for her. This is characteristic also of the Iowa. At the close of the song, each performer retches violently, striking his breasts with the palms of his hands, and finally vomiting forth the sacred missile upon his otter-skin. AND MONOGRAPHS IV 288 MEDICINE CEREMONY When this has been accomplished by each of the four performers, then each in turn arises with the sacred missile in the palm of his right hand, and ceremonially circles the lodge, showing the object to each of the four bands, singing mean- while : Wandeiyasa miniyata wakayanyankecin iyasawo. The sacred arrow to be shot is mine. This song is repeated six times. After this, each returns to his stand before the blankets, presumably in the same manner as among the Iowa, and swallows the shell. They then take their places, and the candidate is brought for- ward to the center of the western end and seated, while an old member stands be- hind him. Sometimes as many as four candidates are taken in at once. Each has an instructor stand behind him. If four are taken in, two men and two women act as instructors, while the can- didate is given the sacred missile, in other words is '*shot". The four band leaders now come for- IV INDIAN NOTES WAHPETON RITE 289 ward, and line up abreast, opposite him, in the east, facing the candidate. Each then in turn places a missile in the mouth of the otter-skin bag, and shoots it into the candidate's mouth, the shooting being done in the regulation Iowa and Meno- mini manner. It is the missile which is supposed to remain forever in the neo- phyte's body. When the candidate is knocked flat by the force of the last shot, and covered with the blankets which he has provided for his instructor, he is revived by singing four songs and blowing and wiping the medicated root over him; then the aki- citay who have been guarding the en- trance, carry in the sacred drumstick, and the new member is ready to parti- cipate in the dance. He says, " My friends, have pity on me; I am about to join in this ceremony." He is then ready to dance, but it is announced that he has no moccasins. Accordingly this song is sung: Hemiyedol ihmohanpa hemiye! It is I ! Panther shoes, it is 1 1 AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M. — IV, 19. 290 MEDICINE CEREMONY The song refers to the panther, who is doubtless connected with the unktehi, who can travel a long way and is never tired. Then he is symbolically presented with a cane (sagei), which also has its song. The cane represents the bulrush, and symbolizes long life through the med- icine-lodge. He is told that the Medi- cine Dance is supposed to be held under water, and the bulrushes are at the door (edge) of the lake where the patron of the dance, the unktehi, dwells. He must sacrifice dogs at the door if he would keep in the good graces of the unktehi, and if he is in danger of his life at any time, he need only grasp a bulrush. The candidate again addresses the as- sembled company: "My friends, be mer- ciful to me, for I am now about to take part in this ceremony which I have ob- tained." He then takes his medicine- bag in his left hand, retches forth the sacred missile, sings a sacred song, and begins taking active part as a real mem- ber. The gifts on the ridge-pole of the lodge are equally divided among the four IV INDIAN NOTES WAHPETON RITE leaders, the four shell vomiters each re- ceive the blanket that was spread before them, while the shell shooters get the blankets upon which the candidate fell and with which he was covered. This is the regular form of initiation. Instead, however, of buying their way in of their own accord, persons may be given the medicine-bag of a deceased member of his or her own sex, and re- quested to join to take the place of the deceased. According to my informants, the ceremony of raising a candidate to fill the place of an old member does not differ in any particular from that de- scribed. There is only one degree. In concluding this section, I cannot do better than to quote the statements of the editor of the Dakota Friend as reprinted in the Minnesota Historical Collections (vol. i, p. 269), as many additional details are given. "When a member is received into this Society, it is his duty to take the hot bath four days in succession. In the mean time, some of the elders of the society instruct him in the mysteries of the medicine, and Wahmnoo-Aah — shell in the throat. 291 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 292 MEDICINE CEREMONY He is also provided with a dish (wojuie) and spoon. On the side of the dish is sometimes carved the head of some voracious aniiral, in which resides the spirit of Eeyah (glutton god). This dish is always carried by its owner to the Medicine Feast, and it is his duty, ordinarily, to eat all which is served up in it. Grey Iron has a dish which was given him at the time of his initiation, on the bottom of which is carved a bear complete. The candidate is also instructed with what paints and in what manner he shall paint himself, which must always be the same, when he appears in the dance. There is supernatural virtue in this paint and the manner in which it is applied, and those who have not been furnished with a better by the regular war prophets, wear it into battle as a life preserver. The bag contains besides, the claws of animals with the toanwan of which they can, it is believed, inflict painful diseases and death on whomsoever and whenever they desire. "The candidate being thus duly prepared for initiation, and having made the necessary offer- ings for the benefit of the institution, on the even- ing of the day previous to the dance, a lodge is prepared, and from ten to twenty of the more substantial members pass the night in singing, dancing and feasting. In the morning, the tent is opened for the dance. After a few appropriate ceremonies preliminary to the grand operation, the candidate takes his place on a pile of blankets IV INDIAN NOTES WAHPETON RIT E which he has contributed for the mysterious oper- ation naked except the breech-cloth and mocca- sins, duly painted and prepared for the myste- rious operation. An elder having been stationed in the rear of the novice, the master of the cere- monies, with his knee and hip joints bent to an angle of about forty-five degrees, advances with an unsteady, unnatural step, with his bag in his hand, uttering *' Heen, keen, keen," with great energy, and raising the bag near a painted spot on the breast of the candidate, gives the dis- charge, the person stationed in the rear gives him a push forward at the same instant, and as he falls headlong, throws the blankets over him. Then while the dancers gather around him and chant, the master throws off the covering, and chewing a piece of the bone of the Oanktay/tee, spirts it over him, and he revives and resumes a sitting posture. All then return to their seats except the master; he approaches and making indescribable noises, pats upon the breast of the novice, till the latter, in agonizing throes, heaves up the Wahmnoo-/jah or shell, which falls from his mouth upon the bag which had been pre- viously spread before him for that purpose. Life being now completely restored, and with the mysterious shell in his open hand, the new made member passes around and exhibits it to all the members and to the wondering bystanders, and the ceremonies of initiation are closed. The dance continues, interspersed with shooting each 293 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 294 MEDICINE CEREMONY IV Other, rests, smoking and taking refreshments, till they have jumped to the music of four sets of singers. Besides vocal music, they make use of the drum and the gourd-shell rattle. The follow- ing chants which are used in the dance, will best exhibit the character of this mysterious institu- tion of the OanktayAee: " Waduta ohna micage. Waduta ohna micage. Miniyata ite wakan de maqu, Tunkanixdan. (Translation) He created it for me inclosed in red down. He created it for me inclosed in red down. He in the water with a mysterious visage gave me this, My grandfather. Tunkanixdan pejihuta wakan micage. He wicake. Miniyata oicage wakan kin maqu ye, Tunkanixdan ite kin yuwinta wo. Wahutopa yuha ite yuwinio wo. (Translation) My grandfather created for me mysterious med- icine, That is true. The mysterious being in the water gave it to me. Stretch out your hand before the face of my grandfather, Having a quadruped, stretch out your hand be- fore him." *^ INDIAN NOTES WAHPETON RITE 295 THE CEREMONIES When it is decided to hold a ceremony, invitations are sent out. These are col- ored quills, dyed and striped like those used by the Menomini. There is no special time of the year for this, my in- formants stated, although the other tribes from which we have data have a spring and fall ceremony. The invitation quills are sent with tobacco to the band leaders, who re-send them to the members. The bands collect at their leaders' lodges, where a smoking ceremony is held. The leader holds the pipe to the earth, say- ing, "Grandmother, bring strength to our bodies, that we may take part in this dance." The pipe is then offered to the otter-skin bags and to Wakantankaf with the same words. When the lodge is erected and all is in readiness, the dancers approach in groups, each group, according to Jingling-cloud, being of a cult whose members had the same animal dream guardian in common, except one, the Becdeka, or Sauk cult. This is considered one of the most im- AND MONOGRAPHS IV 296 MEDICINE CEREMONY portant of the groups, and is the pre- eminent order among the Santee Dakota. The songs of the Becdeka are in the Sauk language. Another important band is the Tree Dwellers (pi. xxv).^^ Mrs Gray- shawl, however, insisted that the Sauk band is the only one which has a fixed title, the others being named after their leaders. The Sauk band occupies the east position ; the others apparently take their places according to the order of arrival, as among the Iowa. Each group lines up before the door, facing west, and sings a certain song which entitles them to admission. Then, on some occasions, the leader performs a sleight-of-hand trick.^® He shows, for in- stance, a bag, in the bottom of which is an empty nest. When all are satisfied that the nest is empty, he proceeds to produce in it two hontka (water-birds), or something else, which stick out their heads, look at each other, and utter their characteristic cry. When this trick is concluded, the group passes on into the lodge up to the tipi, which they face, and IV INDIAN NOTES I- si i ii WAHPETON RIT E 297 then sing. They circle and repeat this performance four times, then they return and take seats along the side wall. Other groups follow in similar manner, some showing a pair of loons, crows, chicken- hawks, mink, or some other animal. Af- ter each performance the audience cries, "E, ho, ho, ho, ho!'' The leader of the last group, which, according to Jingling-cloud, is made up of the Kingfisher cult, produces what seems to be a stuffed kingfisher-skin. This suddenly comes to life, flies around the lodge, and strikes one of the members, who falls as if dead. Then it returns to its owner and appears as a stuffed bird. The audience cries, "E, ho, ho, ho, ho!'' and then the members of one of the cults lay blankets on the unconscious man. The Kingfisher band leader comes up singing and shaking his gourd rattle. He pats the body of his victim, and brings out the bloody claw of an eagle, or of some other bird, which he shows to the mem- bers at large, and the unconscious man then comes to life. It must be remem- AND MONOGRAPHS IV 298 MEDICINE CEREMONY IV bered, however, that it is not certain that these bands are composed of those having the same dream, as Mrs Gray- shawl claims that a person could join any band to which he chose to apply. Once in a while the victim of the shoot- ing is a man whose "medicine is so strong" that he can return to life with- out assistance. It is well known that such a powerful candojuhayuha (medi- cine-bag owner, i.e., a member of the lodge) can throw back the claw shot into him to the original sender, and that this will kill him. Consequently it is cus- tomary under such circumstances for the original sender to give his recovered vic- tim a horse to save himself, and he then receives the "arrow" quietly in his hand. Many songs are the property of the lodge in general and of no particular cult. They proceed from left to right, first one band, then another, singing. Each group has four dance songs, and after each dance the members walk about the lodge hold- ing their bags in their left hands, head forward, about breast high. As they INDIAN NOTES WAHPETON RITE 299 pass the place where the drum is to be next, that is, the next band to their left, they give the medicine-cry. The drum is kept in the western tipi by the host or leader, who calls out to the groups as they come into the lodge, order- ing them to take the drum and sing as the animal tricks are performed. There is a secret dance at night when those who have the shell (wamunha) in their bodies throw them out and display them, a custom reminiscent of certain practices of the Menomini. It is further stated that some powerful members can take a mouthful of sand, chew it up, and spit forth beads. FUNERAL CEREMONY When a member of the lodge dies, a lock of hair is cut from his head, tied with ribbon, and wrapped in a large bun- dle of blankets, clothes, and calicoes. A year or more after this, the bundle is taken and placed in the candidate's seat in the west center of the lodge, while over it is hung a pole covered with garments. AND MONOGRAPHS IV 300 MEDICINE CEREMONY Four sets of food are provided for a feast, for it is thought that the ghost enters each four times before it arrives in the other world. Before the feast four songs are sung, each band giving one. The feast is then partaken and the mourners put on new clothes and end their sorrow- ing. The leaders of the bands are called on to sing, each group giving one song. These leaders each take one set of gar- ments and one set of feast material. They arise one at a time and circle the lodge from left to right, passing the en- trance. They begin the song as they pass the eastern door. When they arrive at the west, they stop in the center and face the bundle, with both hands raised, and say, "Friends be merciful to me, and I will now sing a song of the de- parted." Then he repeats the following verse : "This is a sacred day [repeated four times]; This spirit is the most sacred of all [repeated four times]." When the leader reaches the word IV INDIAN NOTES WAHPETON RITE 301 "spirit," he lays his hands on the bundle, and all those present give the medicine- cry, ''E ho ho ho!'' Then one of his band comes forward and takes the clothes and goods belonging to that division over to the place where they are seated, and the articles are dis- tributed. When this has been done by all four bands, the mourners put on new clothes and end their sorrowing. The hair which has been in the bundle is kept by the relatives, and the offerings placed on the bundle by friends before the songs were sung by the leaders are taken up by the mourners and carried into the western tipi to give to the leaders there. Many of these objects are of considerable value. Mrs Gray-shawl took off her own robe on one occasion and laid it on the bundle. The otter- skin bag of the deceased is given to a man or a woman of the same age and ap- pearance as the dead person, and later the recipient is raised to the position of a member of the lodge, as described elsewhere. AND MONOGRAPHS IV WAHPETON RITE 303 tral pole. The leaders take the candi- date into the sweat-lodge for instruction the night before the ceremony, the in- struction including the "ten rules of life." At dawn the candidate is taken into the sacred building. He is led in turn by four old members round the lodge and halted before a gift of four blankets, spread toward the east center. Each leader kneels, sings, and vomits forth the migis. If women have been chosen for this part, they must get the male leaders of their bands to sing for them. Each old member now circles the lodge, show- ing the migis to the members. After this each returns to the blankets and swallows the missile. The candidate is now brought forward to the west center and seated, with an old member standing behind him. The four band leaders now line up in the opposite end of the lodge, facing the candidate. Each "shoots" the candidate, the force of the last shot knocking him prone. The candidate is revived and raised, the guards bring in the sacred drumsticks, AND MONOGRAPHS IV 304 MEDICINE CEREMONY IV and the new member is now ready to take part in the dance. He receives cer- tain songs and symbolic presents, after which he retches up the sacred missile, sings, and takes active part in the rites. The gifts on the ridge-pole are now divided among the band leaders. When a person is initiated to take the place of a dead member, no payment is required on his part, but the ceremonies are the same. Funeral Ceremony On death of a member, a lock of hair is taken from the corpse and placed in a bundle of clothes. A year later the bun- dle is placed in the candidate's seat in the medicine-lodge structure, that is, in the west center. The band leaders and their groups each sing one song in turn, and each takes from the ridge-pole one set of presents provided for him, and is given a quantity of feast material of which four sets are also provided. Each leader circles the lodge with his INDIAN NOTES WAHPETON RITE 305 band from left to right, passing the en- trance. Then he stops at the west and faces the death bundle, where he sings. A member of each band then comes over and distributes the goods to the members, who remain in their proper places during the performance. AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M., IV — 20 306 • NOTES ON THE PONCA PEBBLE SOCIETY The Pebble Society, called Wacickaniy or Waxobi Watugari, has been so long extinct among the Ponca that practically nothing was remembered by the writer's informants, Big Goose and Charlie Col- lins, in 1914. The data obtained, how- ever, go to show that it has many points in common with the Southern Siouan form. There were four leaders, admis- sion was by purchase, a long Medicine- dance structure was erected, and the ceremonial shooting was the same. The society is supposed to have been derived from some more easterly tribe. Members bought their way into this society. They got together blankets, calicoes, food, and eagle- wings, and gave them to the four leaders, who divided them, the other members getting nothing. The candidate usually asked to have his whole family, wife and children, taken IV INDIAN NOTES ■ _. .. _„. 1 PONCA SOCIETY 307 in at the same time, but it is said that as a rule only the candidate and his wife were accepted. The candidates were instructed how to do things, and to live good lives. If a candidate did as he was told, he was ulti- mately given a medicine-bag of otter, beaver, or raccoon skin. Formerly, in remote times, it took four years to become a member. A member possessed the privilege of passing on his knowledge, by purchase, to his eldest son, who might buy it of him instead of from one of the four leaders. If he had no son, he might sell it to his nearest relative. In any case, he had to inform the society of his inten- tion. The officers were: four leaders, two waiters, and a herald; and there were an indefinite number of members, both male and female. Each member of the society had his or her own song. They painted their faces red from the ears down, and carried their medicine-bags in their right hands and their eagle-wing fans in the left. They shot magic pebbles with their bags AND MONOGRAPHS IV 308 MEDICINE CEREMONY into each other during parts of their cere- monies, and whoever was shot had to return the missile by shooting back. Be- fore shooting, members cried, ^^ Hex! hex! hex! hex!'^ This was during the indi- vidual songs. If a member allowed an outsider to touch one of the pebbles, it was good luck. They rubbed these magic stones on the sick in order to cure them. They could use them likewise for evil and kill people or lame horses by shooting. Their ceremonies were held in the sum- mer in a long lodge roofed with tent- covers and brush. The leaders sat in order of entrance. Before quitting, four songs were sung, and the man on the left went out first. There was a sacred pipe which they smoked and then cleaned before eating. The herald wore a buf- falo-robe, the hair-side outward, about his waist, painted his face with clay, and wore a white feather. One of the leaders had a white weasel-skin medicine-bag, and possessed the power to make it cry out. IV INDIAN NOTES 309 NOTES ON THE M IDE WIN CERE- MONY OF THE BUNGI BAND OF PLAINS OJIBWA The following meager data were gath- ered from the Bungi band of Plains Ojibwa, on the Long Plains reserve, Man- itoba, during the early summer of 191 3, and are given for comparison with the Menomini material. The writer's infor- mants were Dauphin Myran, Ogima6- winini, George Beatty, and Piziki. Among the Bungi it is apparent that the ceremonies of this society are founded on the myths of Nanibozhu, and although they were not obtained, covert conver- sation with the old men led the writer to infer that these myths closely resemble those of the Menomini. It is added that the society and its ritual were first ob- tained by an elder who received it from the Powers Above. This seems to cor- respond with the Menomini story (p. 72), AND MONOGRAPHS IV 310 MEDICINE CEREMONY where Ma'nabus gives the society to an old man. Among the Bungi, persons join the Midewin, or Medicine Lodge Society, only in fulfilment of a vow made while sick, especially in winter. Sometimes a man whose child is ill will send a messen- ger to some elder who is a member, with this message: "My child is ill. I am going to pray for help, and afterward, if it recovers, I'll take it into the Midewin,'' As a matter of fact, no one ever con- siders himself absolved from this vow. If the child dies, some other member of the family, whether it be brother, sister, father, mother, cousin, or any relative (for either sex may join), is initiated in the place of the deceased. When a per- son is taken into the society in place of a deceased would-be candidate, the cere- mony is called Jipai Midcwiwin, or "Ghost Mid^wiwin." When the appropriate time has come, the novice procures a number of blankets, calicoes, and other gifts, and goes to the IV INDIAN NOTES BUNGI RITE 311 elders to buy information. He is in- structed by them and given a medicine- bag of weasel, mink, otter, beaver, or fish skin (though the Bungi do not use snake-skins), or of some other small ani- mal. This bag is furnished with the megist and konapdmik-^ shells, and cer- tain paints and medicines. The novice swallows a seed in a drink furnished him at the initiation, and is, so far as could be ascertained, initiated by shooting in the regular Ojibwa form, for the Bungi claim their Midewin differs very little from that of the Ojibwa proper, with whom they sometimes come in contact. A dog feast is connected with the ceremony. More definite information could not be secured at Long Plains at the time of the writer's visit, because of the strict secrecy in which the order is veiled. The medicine-lodge is rectangular, and is really an enclosure, for its sides are boughs, about four feet high, stuck in the ground, and it is uncovered, unlike the lodge of some Central Algonkian tribes, such as the Menomini and Potawatomi, AND MONOGRAPHS IV 312 MEDICINE CEREMONY and the Winnebago. The regular place of entrance is in the east, but at funeral cere- monies it is in the west. Before taking part in the rites, the performers take a sweat-bath to purify themselves. Four degrees are recognized by the Bungi, but there are very few Indians who attain the fourth and highest step. Among the Long Plains band, there are said to be none who have done so, though a number have taken three.^^ The badges of the four degrees are facial paintings. For the first degree a transverse stripe of red is drawn across the face. Other paint may be added, but it has no significance. For the sec- ond degree, two transverse bars are marked. For the third, a red inverted Y-shaped stripe is made on the face, black is daubed about the mouth, and the nose is colored black or green. For the fourth degree, one eye is circled with red and the other (right) is spotted about and the ear painted. (See fig. 12.) Often members pass from degree to de- gree in gratitude for cures from illness IV INDIAN NOTES BUNGI RITE 313 for which they made vows. The elders warned novices never to accept a bear- skin medicine-bag and its rituals from any old member. Such a bag is always evil. The bulk of the data gathered concerns two birch-bark charts, or records, ob- tained from members of the society. Un- A B C D Fig. 12. — Mide facial paintings showing degrees. Plains Ojibwa. fortunately the actual specimens were lost in transit from the field to the American Museum, but the figures are copied from rough drawings made on the spot by the writer. Records such as this are the property of the leaders of the first degree, or those who have been such, and are never owned by the laity. They are memoranda of the ritual of entrance, and there are records AND MONOGRAPHS IV 314 MEDICINE CEREMONY 1 for each degree and for each separate cere- mony of each degree. A few persons, such as the brother of Wapikiniwap of Cowesess reserve, who resides at Swan Lake, who are members of the fourth de- gree, have in their possession, or are sup- posed to have, the "birch-barks" for each rite. These are all believed to have been copied from the original bark rec- ords given to the Indians at the first mitewikomik (or lodge) built by the soci- ety. When the original barks were worn out, they were carefully imitated, and so on until today. They are all supposed to be identical wherever the medicine- lodge is found, in whatsoever tribe, and any member who sees a birch-bark be- longing to his degree should find it in- stantly intelligible. These records should always be care- fully kept with tobacco or medicine, or both, and are very sacred. The Bungi, unlike the Cree, transmit them from father to son, and do not bury them with the owner. Of course, if the son is not a member, he cannot read or use the IV INDIAN NOTES SKINNER — MENOMINI PL. XXVI BIRCH-BARK CHART OF THE BUNGI MIDEWIN FIRST DEGREE BUNGI RITE barks, and can understand them only as far as he has gone, if he be a member. The bark record (pi. xxvi) gives the instructions for holding the Jipai Mide- wifif or funeral ceremony of the first de- gree. G represents the lodge, facing east, with a western door. A^ represents the leader (of the first degree) setting out on his journey at the head of his flock, going from east to west about the lodge. This is repeated four times, and each time the leader (A^) pauses at the right of the door and sings. On the fourth round he enters and passes to the west, A^ singing: Ninahazika^ nazika, ha, ha, Ninahazika^ nazika, ha, ha, Ninahazika^ nazika, ha, ha, Ninahazika^ nazika, ha, ha, MiU, h^ hi wikomik hi, hi. Stripped of its refrain, sung to confuse the hearers, this song means merely "Enter this lodge.'* On entering the lodge, a fire is seen to burn at the east and at the west. In the center is situated a pole with a stone altar at the foot. Upon the pole is hung a lot AND MONOGRAPHS 315 IV BUNGI RITE 317 to a kUci-miteOf or past- master of the medi- cine-lodge, then residing at a place called Broken Head. Ogimauwinini paid a Fig. 13. — Birch-bark medicine ceremony record of the Plains Ojibwa. horse to the old man, Nanigis (Someone- shaking), to be taught the secrets of the four degrees in order that he might estab- lish an accepted lodge at Long Plains. Nanigis taught Ogimauwinini all of one side of the roll, up to the third degree, but the fourth was unfinished when the old man died. With the roll belongs a small wooden bowl intended to contain food at the feast, which must be made when it is AND MONOGRAPHS IV BUNGI RITE 319 gets to Ft the boundary of the lodge, but passes I-Lf the two great manitukt when he becomes a fourth-degree member. Fig. 14. — Birch-bark medicine ceremony record of the Plains Ojibwa. The other side (fig. 14) shows the three upper degrees, but, as I understand, it is only given by those who have taken the fourth and are H/ci mitSo tOr past-masters. Unfortunately this side is not well known to Ogimauwinini, as his instructor died while at work here with him. The first circle (A) represents the second degree, and contains its secrets. The second (B) holds the rites of the third, and C, the third and last, shows the fourth. It is filled with the migisuk {D) , or magic shell AND MONOGRAPHS IV ■P 320 MEDICINE CEREMONY emblems of the society, and is under the protection of the great mide gods (£), the thunderers, and (F) the otters (?). The figure G represents the master of the lodge in the role of the ukema miteo (chief or master mitSOy or, as I have called it, "past- master"). He is thus head of the ukema mitSwin, or master's degree, and hence of the entire lodge, and is the chief of the four leaders (one for each degree) who convene at all ceremonies. The animal figures observed from time to time are manituk. The pipe (JT) stands for peace, prayer, and purity. The hu- man figure {D) astride the path (/), fol- lowed by the miti candidate for leader- ship in the fourth, I believe is the ser- geant-at-arms, or tiler, who seeks espe- cially to prevent the unworthy from en- tering. The other figures are unex- plained. Note that the path resembles a snake. The following ritual for the all-night ceremony of the third degree is read into the birch-bark as given here. The names of the functionaries are omitted, as are IV INDIAN NOTES BUNGI RITE 321 the names of the manituk (or manitus) referred to. It was impossible to obtain these, as they are too sacred, and Assini- boin or Ogemauwinini would not even repeat them to a mite brother not of this degree. It is understood, however, that these manituk are the chiefs of the world tiers above and below, and hence, judg- ing by the Menomini precedents, and from conversation with the old man from whom the bark was obtained, several were identified by the writer, to the informant's surprise. I will not, however, attempt to give them their titles, and will refer only definitely to those identified in the presence of the Indians. On the drawing here shown on the chart within the oblong representing the mitewikomik, are shown several function- aries whose places are not marked on the bark original. When the lodge is con- vened, the heads of the four degrees sit in the northwest corner of the lodge; half-way down the side sit two function- aries; at the corners, two more each. The lodge opens when the chief mith^ AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M., IV — 21. 322 MEDICINE CEREMONY the head of the fourth degree, who is seated at D^ arises and speaks concerning the lodge and its supernatural relations. Then another speaks, and so on. When the head of the first degree prays, he fin- ishes by turning the responsibility over to the officers opposite, who thank him, and first one and then the other prays. These prayers are all for health and long life. The praying is turned over next to the twoofficers opposite, who in turn thank those who first spoke, and soon. The last two to pray refer to the otter and the great snake or fish monster, shown by them in the chart particularly. These gods are among the ancient masters and givers of the MiUwin^ the Okema- mitewUk. The Panther and Bear gods, drawn at the entrance, also belong to this group. During the prayers by the partners, all sit with bowed heads and closed eyes. The speaker raises his hands skyward, appeals for long life, and refers especially to the four gods shown at the two doors. These certainly must be the heads of the IV INDIAN NOTES BUNGI RITE 323 lower world. Dauphin Myran, an infor- mant, said a gun, a trap, or some metallic object is always reserved for them and buried as a sacrifice to them. Metal came from below, hence it is appropriate. "You too must help me in our quest for long life." He mentions them all by name, and then asks the four degree leaders to continue the ceremony. They acquiesce and carry the prayer the same way as before, until the prayer has again reached the same officers. The last of these arises and says, "I shall now try to follow the path of the gods" (the outline of the lodge is so called). Then all rise, and he carries the water-drum, which was beside him, to the center of the lodge op- posite the western door, while his associate joins him with the rattle. Then both re- peat that they will try to follow the path of the gods. The leader bows his head and motions his right hand, with raised palm outward, in a circle, praying: "May all the gods have pity on me. If I do wrong, it will not be purposely." He then marches down the left side to the AND MONOGRAPHS IV i 324 MEDICINE CEREMONY / east, followed by his companion. He car- ries the drum, the other the rattle. As he passes the four leaders, he strikes the drum once before each as a salute; before the two at the side he strikes twice, and the same at the two opposite. Before passing the door, he shakes once, then circles where the drawing on the bark shows the four degrees personified (?), or leaders of the degrees with their pipes and fire, striking his drum four times in salute. He then passes on, saluting the officers at the other corner and the cen- ter. When back, he circles twice before the western door and comes to a halt, and then takes the drum to the grand master, saying, "I am through with my part." The leader cries, '* Migwitc! MigwHc!'' ("Thanks, thanks; I am thankful"), takes the drum, and begins to chant the mite songs. All then arise and dance where they stand. When this is finished, he is followed by the master of the third degree, and so on. When the first degree is finished, the ceremony is over. (I am not certain whether all dance when IV INDIAN NOTES BUNGI RITE 325 each leader sings, or only members of that degree. A fourth-degree member should be able to dance at any lower- degree song.) The mitewikomik has one door when erected for a ceremony of the first degree, two for a second-degree rite, etc. The drawing in fig. 14, or the "old side," shows in the three circles the three higher degrees. Presiding over the lodge is the great underground Bear who gave the lodge to mankind. This corres- ponds with the Menomini legend, that the Powers Below gave the lodge to Ma'nabus. The Bungi seem to have this myth, judging by conversation in which they made some suggestive remarks on the subject; but as the myth is very sacred, I have not yet secured it, despite all en- deavors. / represents the medicine-bag, badge, and tool of the lodge. When a person is taken into the first degree, the four leaders instruct him in its secrets and give him the appropriate medicines, each of which is supposedly AND MONOGRAPHS IV 326 MEDICINE CEREMONY IV represented in these circles showing the doors. This is repeated for each degree. D, the man astride the path, is ex- plained as a leader whose duty is to pray for fair weather and long life of the great Bear God opposite, who in turn begs the Otters {F) to intercede for him; they take it to the Thunderers (£). The latter beg to be excused for causing the rain to fall when they go to see Gitci Manitu, as they cannot help bringing rain when they move. The thunderers are the skaupe- wisHk, or servants, to Gitci Manitu, which corresponds with the Menomini idea. They intercede with Gitci (Tci) Manitu personally, as it is by his own order that they carry such prayers to him. A badge of the MidSwiity made of two hawk-feathers, was collected. It is worn to show that the owner is a member of the second degree. INDIAN NOTES 327 ORIGIN MYTH OF THE POTA- WATOMI MEDICINE- LODGE^ To begin with, there was a mighty God, greater than all. He created the lower gods under him, between the heavens and the earth and under the earth, and each of them had servants, both good and evil. The first human being that was known was Manaboso, who ruled all the Powers of this earth, and the lower powerful gods and animal monsters in the tiers beneath the earth. Manaboso had a brother, by name Napati, or Onapat^, and they were both in charge of this earth above and below, and of all existing fowls of the air. The lower powers saw Manaboso and his good brother, and they became jealous because he was more powerful. The lower gods consulted to try Manaboso and see if he was really greater than AND MONOGRAPHS IV 328 MEDICINE CEREMONY they in strength, so they stole his brother Onapati, and hid him under the earth among them. Then MSnaboso missed his brother and began to weep for him, so that his crying shook all the Powers of this earth and above because of his sobs, and the tears from his eyes almost brought the Gods Beneath to the surface of this earth, and filled each of them with consternation, and they soon discovered that Manaboso was the cause. The Powers Above, as well^as the Lower Ones, soon saw that they were in danger, so the powerful Fowl Gods said to the ones below that they had better give up the stolen brother or else the world would soon end. Then all the gods held council together to see what could be done to make up with Manaboso, afid they tried to conciliate him by returning his brother to him; but Manaboso refused because he had already wept too long for him. When all the servants of the Powers tried their best to win Manaboso over and had failed, there was only one that IV INDIAN NOTES POTAWATOMI RITE was able to make peace with him, and this was the Great Spirit, and he sent his servant the Otter. Otter went to Mana- boso and told him to cease his sorrowing and weeping; he promised to return the lost brother, and told Manaboso he was invited by his great Grandfathers to come into the medicine-lodge. Otter did this through his brilliant appearance, which gave great satisfaction to Manaboso. So Manaboso did come, and he was re- ceived into the medicine-lodge and was given the medicines by all the Grand- fathers, and the thing was taught Mana- boso in the way now existing among all Indians. When Napati came to his brother, Manaboso said it was too late; he had cried too much and he could not accept him any more. This was on the fourth day, and Manaboso could not look at him, as he had considered his brother dead; so he handed him his fire and told him to keep on his journey and make preparations to receive his uncles and aunts, the people, after their death. 329 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 330 MEDICINE CEREMONY It would have come about through Na- pati that any Indian who died would have come to life again on the fourth day, but Manaboso did not like this, so he fav- ored the plan that the dead should go to the west. So the Otter servant has made it, and to the present day the only change that takes place is that when a member of the medicine-lodge dies, some one else is initiated to take his place for the second time, the Otter being great, having four feet each bearing a powerful medicine and a song which is sacred, and which governs the whole Medicine Dance and the cus- toms of life, both good and evil. IV INDIAN NOTES NOTES 1. Radin, P., Ritual and Significance of the Winnebago Medicine Dance, Jowr. Atner. Folk- Lore, vol. XXIV, p. 149, Apr -June 191 1. 2. Fletcher, Alice C, and La Flesche, P., The Omaha Tribe, 27th Ann. Rep. Bur. Amer. Ethn., Washington, 191 1. 3. An unpublished manuscript in the library of the New York Historical Society. 4. Hoffman, p. 11, et seq. 5. Hoffman, p. 78. 6. Hoffman, p. 81. 7. This is not an actual song used in the lodge, but an imitation made and approved by my in- structor and by Mr Satterlee. 8. The origin myth of the lodge does not deal with the birth of the culture-hero, as it is assumed that all well-informed candidates are acquainted with this important myth. It takes up his career well along in life, and deals with him when he is first delegated to be the ruler of the earth. In like manner I shall follow strictly the notes I have taken from my tutor's lips and shall omit the chapters in the hero's career prior to those with which we are concerned. These have been published, together with all of the collected hist- AND MONOGRAPHS 331 IV i 332 MEDICINE CEREMONY ory of Ma'n^bus, in Skinner and Satterlee, Folk- lore of the Menomini Indians (Anthropological Papers Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., xiii, no. 3, New York, 191 5). It will be observed that this myth, like most other true myths found in the tribe, is stiff and formal in its phraseology and style of narration, and is burdened with interminable rep- etitions. 9. Note that this priestly version of the tale is very different from the popular, non-sacred myth, in which Ma'nabus receives his companion from the wolf with whom he has been hunting. 10. This decoy was Wafabskinit Apl'sos, the White Underground Deer, though in this version its identity is not mentioned. 11. Though not mentioned by name by my teacher, these first four are called ukimauwiik (chiefs) or pUcwdwUk. The singular forms of the terms are ukjmau and pUcwdo. 12. B-B in the diagram. These four men are called osehauwHk (singular, osehau), or some- times they are styled wenowHk (singular weno), assistants. 13. This section seems to the writer to be due to missionary influence. 14. At this point the informant brought out' his medicine-bags, pouches and rattles, and water- drum, together with the drum which had belonged to his recently deceased brother-in-law. He of- fered tobacco to all these objects, since we had IV INDIAN NOTES NOTES 333 been speaking of them, and with a propitiatory speech he caused them to be put away again. 1$. The pa'peivin is a trick performed during the initiation exercises to impress candidates with the power of the old MitSwtik. It consists of a woven bag, which is shown, apparently empty, to the members in the lodge. Suddenly two loons, mink, snakes, or dolls are made to appear and protrude their heads. Hoffman (p. 97) gives an excellent account of this procedure. He says: "During a short interval of smoking, in which most of the medicine men participated, one man retired to arrange for the exhibition of his trick. In a few moments he returned to the western entrance of the inclosure, and stood there for an instant until a confederate could approach him to assist. The performer held before him a red flannel bag which measured about 20 inches in width by 30 in depth. Along the top of the open- ing of the bag were attached fluffy white feathers. The upper corners were held by the hands so as to spread out the bag like a single piece of goods. Then taking the bag between his hands, he rolled it into a ball to show the beholders that there was nothing within. Again taking one of the upper corners in each hand, the performer held the bag once more before the face like a banner, and as he began to dance slowly forward along the south- ern side of the inclosure, his confederate preceded him, dancing backward, chanting with the per- former, and making various gestures before the AND MONOGRAPHS IV T 334 MEDICINE CEREMONY bag. Presently two snake heads began to emerge from the top of the bag, and gradually became more and more exposed to view, until their bodies protruded perhaps 6 inches. Slowly the heads retreated into the bag, until the performers had turned at the eastern end of the inclosure and were approaching the group of chief medicine men, when the singing increased in tone and time, and the snakes again emerged, only to disappear in the bag by the time the performers arrived at the point of starting. The principal performer then doubled up the bag, put in the breast of his coat and left the wikomik, while the assistant returned to his seat. "That the trick had made a profound impres- sion on the audience was apparent, and silence reigned everywhere. Although seemingly com- plex, the whole construction of the interior of the bag became apparent as the performer reached a position between myself and the sunlight. The bag was not fully stretched out, and between the corners held by the thumb and forefinger of each hand was visible a strip of cloth or tape, to the middle of which were attached the ends of the stuffed snakes. These ends were only about 8 inches long, and as the tension upon the tape was lessened, the weight of the snakes* bodies forced them down into the bag. The heads and necks emerged through loops, made of pieces of calico, just large enough for those members to slide through easily." IV INDIAN NOTES NOTES 335 Only three Menomini at the time this account was written (1913) possessed the trick with power to use it. They were Kes6apomesao, Ka'sikao, and Judge Perote. Pitwaskdm, one of the writer's informants, who died early in the spring of the year named, could perform "the sacred amusement." 'Niimakiu, long deceased, was famous for this. 16. "No'ko" is the abbreviation I have trans- lated as "grandma." No'komd is the full form, which I have called "grandmother." Both are frequently used by the Menomini. 17. I have collected at least one such bag. The whistling is accomplished in some manner by ex- pelling air through a bone tube in the throat of the otter-skin. There is said to be no living Menomini who can now perform this trick. There was a medicine, the power of which, taken with the bag, made it able to cry out. 18. See Skinner, Anthropological Papers Amer, Mils. Nat. Hist., vol. xiii, p. 79, 1915. 19. See Skinner, Social Life and Ceremonial Bundles of the Menomini Indians, p. 64. 20. Before commencing, the informant cast to- bacco on the fire and addressed the flames, calling the fire "brave hero" and "servant of the Powers Above," begging it to consume his sacri- fice in their behalf. He then begged for the in- dulgence of all the Powers, inasmuch as he was about to speak of them for a good purpose, and, tiiming to me, he said, "What I am about to AND MONOGRAPHS IV ? 336 IV MEDICINE CEREMONY tell you is sacred. The way in which I shall tell it is the form in which it is told in the Mitdwin. I must tell it word for word as it is told from generation to generation. I have no right to make any change whatsoever. Even this ex- planation is stereotyped, and I dare not omit it. There is another way of relating this stor>' with more detail, but this is the form which we use in the Mitdwin." 21. The bead that is taken in the draft by the candidate when he is initiated into the medicine- lodge. 22. The cowrie shell contained in every medi- cine-bag and used during the shooting ceremonies of the lodge. 23. For the Ojibwa, Warren (pp. 78-79) gives an origin myth of the medicine-lodge in which there seem to be vague resemblances to this story. 24. Cf. the translation of an Ojibwa birch-bark midS record given by Kohl, p. 150 et seq. 25. Yet Ma'nabus was afterward persuaded to learn all the practices of evil, for the Powers as- sured him that not all of the people, his parents to come, would be good; some of them would form an alliance with the Powers Below, anyway, so he was cajoled into learning that side of the business so that he might impart the knowledge to his parents in order that the good could defend themselves from the wicked with their own weap- ons. INDIAN NOTES NOTES 337 26. Four years in reality, said the informant, Thomas Hog. 27. My informant stated that in former times it was customary to build this small wigwam as an addition to the mitdw'ikointk, but the practice has long since been abandoned. 28. The bones used by the doctors in detecting and sucking out disease. 29. A tobacco sacrifice to the Powers Below is always made by burying the offering in contra- distinction to burning it for the Powers Above. 30. These black megise are called " opec megis^** and are little sea-shells, not cowries like kond- pdmik, the megisi used in the first initiation. 31. See Skinner, op. cit., p. 73. 32. Wakanda iinga; perhaps 'suggested by a biblical parallel. 33. An Iowa metaphor for the haze of pleasant days. 34. Though the four original band leaders were of both sexes, now only men are taken. Women, however, freely belong to the lodge, though never acting as officers. 35. A symbolic reference to the feasts in honor of Wakanda and Mother Earth held in the lodge. 36. It could not be learned that the fireplace is of any practical use. The "road in the lodge" is the course followed by the members during the rites. 37. It is always customary for members to dis- AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M., IV — 22. 338 MEDICINE CEREMONY parage the society when referring to it, for the purpose of showing humility. 38. Among the Winnebago, according to Radin, p. 151, the women are exempt from this duty. 39. This dividing into two parties and then trot- ting back to the lodge is not clear to me. I think that what my informants meant was not an actual physical division of the members, but that the east and north bands sided together in shooting against the west and south. This is borne out by the accompanying diagram (fig. 9), copied from one made by Joe Springer, in which it will be observed that the performers are all in a con- tinuous chain. 40. This entitled the leader to boast: "So-and- so did this [mentioning the deed] for me, so I did what he achieved." 41. See Skinner, Societies of the Iowa, Kansa, and Ponca Indians, Anthropological Papers Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., xi, no. ix, 1915, p. 689. 42. Invitation sticks are little dogwood twigs, peeled and shaved, about six inches in length. The leader of the band which assumes the role of host, and which will occupy the east end of the lodge, pro tempore, sends out, by messengers, a bundle of these sticks to each of the other three band leaders. In each bundle there is one stick for every member of that leader's band. These are in turn sent to the individuals by a messenger dispatched by their band leader. The messenger IV INDIAN NOTES NOTES 339 says nothing, but delivers the stock, the meaning of which is known. 43. The Iowa terms are Uxmedi, Bihidi, Ore- kHrehuhi, and Biaxexu. 44. There are several kinds of unkteHi, some of which are homed snakes. Jingling Cloud, how- ever, specified that this was a four-footed, long- tailed monster with shiny horns, somewhat re- sembling a buffalo. Neither this monster nor its mate were buffalo color, but their heads were white like snow. I suspect them of being related to the "underneath panther spirit" of the Me- nomini and Ojibwa, and the "water spirit" of the Winnebago. 45. It will be noted that the placing of the shell in the body of the candidate is one of the impor- tant episodes in the initiation ceremony of the Menomini. This rite is supposed among them to be in imitation of placing the shell in the body of Ma'nabus, as told in the origin myth of the society. 46. While these ten rules suggest Christian in- fluence, the writer is informed that something similar is known to the Sauk of Oklahoma. 47. Minnesota Historical Collections, vol. i, "Dakota Land and Dakota Life," by E. D. Neill, quotation from the Dakota Friend, pp. 269-271. 48. The Tree Dweller is a spirit of human form who, as his name implies, lives in a tree. He is a very important little hunting god. It is said that whenever any bird flies over his residence, it is AND MONOGRAPHS IV ■ 340 MEDICINE CEREMONY killed by the Tree Dweller's power and falls down into the hollow stump where the being lives. Even thunder birds are sometimes over- powered by him. Jingling-cloud's grandmother has a sacred wooden image of this elf. PI. xxv. 49. Also known to the Menomini under the name of pa'peivin, and done by them to impress candidates with the power of the members. 50. I have used the Menomini terms, which are, however, intelligible to the Bungi. 51. George Beatty alone, all others to the con- trary, declares there are five degrees. 52. It is surmised that it was carried because of the owner's supernatural relations with the buf- falo. The old man's name was Piziki, or Buffalo, 53. Obtained from Mrs John Shawano, an Ojibwa married among the Potawatomi at Carter's Siding, Wisconsin. It is claimed by In- dians of the Ottawa, Potawatomi, Menomini, and Ojibwa tribes whom the writer has questioned, that theii Medicine Lodge m3rths do not differ. IV INDIAN NOTES 341 INDEX Above and Below Powers, gods of the air, under- ground, and waters, Menomini, 23, 126 Akicita, police for Dakota rites, 273, 289 Animals, started medicine-lodge at forming of earth (Dakota); appear in dreams to men, 302 Apisetcikun, reviving medicine, 148 Arrow Song, Dakota, 269 Assinihoin, Charlie, informant, 321 Autumn Ceremony, Iowa, 242, 260 Bear Below, a White Bear god, 136; Great White Bear, underground Power, 148 Bear Cub Skins for medicine-bags, 62 Bear Gods, Ojibwa, 322 Bear Trick in medicine dance, 251 Beatty, George, informant on Ojibwa Midewin ceremony, 309, 339 note Beaver, helps form earth, Dakota, 274, 275 Becdeka Band of Dakota, 263 ; wear crow-feathers, 264; sing in Sauk dialect, 296 Biaxexu, sunrise or east side of lodge, 233, 338 note Big Goose, informant on Ponca Pebble Society, 306 Bihidi, sunset or west side of lodge, 233, 338 note Birch-bark Records, 21, 314 Bird Gods advise Lower Gods to return Napata to Manaboso, 328 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 342 MEDICINE CEREMONY Birds delay Ma'nabus by songs, Menomini, 33; sacred, important guardians, 91 Bird-skins for medicine-bags, 62 Blue (color): blue paint for sacred lodge poles, 37; blue paint for neck and brow of Ma'nabus in lodge rites, 46; represents sky, 47; seat like blue velvet, 50; stone in sweat lodge blue, 84; blue clay lining of celestial lodge like sky, 140; food seasoned with "pinch of blue sky," 141; rock and otter turn sky-blue, 142; blanket of blue clay color, 145; blue paint, 166, 169; otter heads of medicine-bags painted blue, 212 Bows and Arrows for magical shooting of persons or figures, 265 Brush Ceremony, Iowa, Winnebago, 209, 256, 280 Buffalo Doctors, Iowa, 250; conjure buffalo, 251 Buffalo Song, Dakota, 269 Bullfrog skin supposed for drum, 285 Bulrush signifies long life, also underwater Unktehi, 290 Bungi Division of Plains Ojibwa, 11 Candojuhayuha, Dakota medicine-bag owner, 298 Cane, Dakota sagei, given to candidate, 290 Chicken-hawks shown in Dakota dance, 297 Cipikau, informant on Menomini, 19 Cipikau, Jane, Menomini informant, 19 Cloud Song, Dakota, 269, 271, 272 Collins, Charlie, informant on Ponca Pebble Society, 306 IV INDIAN NOTES INDEX 343 Com, Mary, informant on Menomini, 19 Crawfish songs, Dakota, 269 Cree Indians of Plains, 9, 10, 12, 314 Crows, birds shown in dance, Dakota, 297 Day Dance. See H&nwahe Waci Deer Song, Dakota, 269 Disparagement of rites to express humbleness, 198, 227, 337 note Djeto, great green sea in east, 189 Dogs thrown in water for the Unktelii, 278, 279; first painted blue, 284 Dog-skins for medicine-bags, Menomini, 62 Down, eagle and swansdown, red and white, for floor of lodge, 266, 281 ; dyed down in nostrils of animal medicine-bags, 267; on herbs and medi- cines, on frame of sacred lodge, on water used in rites, 283 Dreams tell Ma'nabus whither White Wolf is gone, 33; sick adjured to dream about them- selves, 250 Drum for "medicine*" deep, with water in bot- tom, 249; drum song, Dakota, 269, 286; sup- pose top made from skin of huge frog, 285. See Tdwaka, Water Drum Duckhawk sent to Ma'nSbus by Powers Above, 39; see Misinikak^, 141 Eagle-feathers forbidden Dakota women except in lodge rites, 264 Earth the Grandmother: Dakota, offered calumet to smoke, 279, 295 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 344 MEDICINE CEREMONY Earih Song, Dakota, 271 East, the "sunrise" side of lodge, 247 Eeyah, the Dakota glutton god, 292 Evil Powers imitate Wakanda, the Creator, 248 Face Painting in Iowa initiation rites, 128, 129, 211 Fasting teaches virtues of roots, etc., 248 Feasts promote goodwill, 248 Feathers, dyed, plume of, strong magic, 171; worn by members in lodge, Dakota, 266 Fireflies attached to necklace in thimbles compel goodwill, 267 Fireplace, secret, made at dawn eastward in brush, 210 Fish, Peter, informant, 19; account of water- drum, 170 Fish-skin for medicine-bags, Ojibwa, 311 Fletcher, Alice C, cited, 11, 331 note Fornicate Not, 9th of the ten Rules of Life, Dakota, 283 Foxskins for medicine-bags, 62 Gitci Manitu, or Tci Manitu, great god, master of Thunderbirds, 326 Grandfathers, gods Above and Below, addressing Ma'nabus, call themselves "your grand- fathers," 57 Grandmother of Ma'nabus, 65; sleeps all winter, 71; called KokomSsa, 146; the Earth, 224, 242, 279; offered calumet, 295. See NokoJ IV INDIAN NOTES INDEX 345 Gray-Iron, Dakota informant on lodge rites, 292 Gray-Shawl, Mrs, informant on Dakota Wakan Wacipi, 262, 296, 301 Hair cut from head of dead, 299; used in rites, kept by relatives, 301, 304 Hands of Ma'nabus shrink and wrinkle, 48; tremble as with palsy, 50 Hdnwahe Wad, Day Dance, 250, 261 Harrington, M. R., his Iowa specimens, 14 Hoffman, W. J., cited, 10, 11, 15, 19, 330 note Hog, Thomas, cited, 19, 137, 336 note H'oka, "Singer," Dakota leader, 263 Honika, water birds, Dakota, 296 Illness of Society member, how treated, 130 Infants, dead, to be met with love in other world, 113 Initiation in lodge rites, Ma'nabus and gods personified, Menomini, 23; Iowa, 192; great cost of, 21, 22, 216 Inktomi, spider song, Dakota, 269 Invitation Sticks, Iowa, 230, 338 note; must not be refused, 283 Iowa Indians, 10, 12 Iowa Medicine Dance, 253 Ixuiwi, Mother Earth, Iowa, 192, 224, 234, 242 lyangmani, "Running Walker," Dakota leader, 263 James, Edwin, on Menomini Medicine Lodge Society, 15 AND MONOGRAPHS IV I. N. M. TV. — 23. 346 MEDICINE CEREMONY Jebainoke, private funeral ceremony, 23, loi; when held, 117; in house of relative, 118; dead person personified, 119. See Mourning Ceremony Jingling-Cloud, Wahpeton informant, 262, 295. Jipai MidSwiwin, "Ghost" Mid^wiwin held for dead candidate, 310, 315. Ka'sikau, informant on Menomini rites, 19 Kigiruya, Washing-off Feast, Iowa, 229 Kindness to all mankind: 9th of the Ten Rules of Life, Dakota, 283 Kinesa, informant on Menomini rites, 19 Kingfisher, bird trick in Dakota dance, 297 Kitci-mitio, past master of medicine-lodge. Plains Ojibwa, 317, 319 Kokontdsa, "Our Grandmother," the Earth, 65, 71, 146, 224, 242. See Grandmother Kondpdmik, cowrie shell for ceremonial "shoot- ing," 140, 142, 165, 311, 335 note K'shvatosi, interpreter of Menomini Mitawin record, 168 La Flesche, F., cited, ii, 331 note Lethal Drink for dead, 113 Lie Not, 9th of the Ten Rules of Life, Dakota, 283 Life represented by cowrie shells of shamans, 338 note; the Ten Rules of, Dakota, 281, 303 Lightning Song, Dakota, 269 Lodge, Powers Above and Below build, for Ma'nabus, 37; Menomini call it mitaw'ikomik. IV INDIAN NOTES INDEX 347 41; presented by the Powers in forms of Old Men, 43; purpose of, as a society, 22; tipi of, strewn with down, 266, 281; poles of lodge signify the tortoise, tent-pins the salamander, 281 Loow helps form Earth, Dakota. 274; song of the loon bag, 285, 297 lA)ve your Neighbors, 4th of the Ten Rules of Life, Dakota, 282 Lynx-skins for medicine-bags, 62 Md'n&boso, first human being, ruler of Earth powers, Potawatomi, 327 Mdndbus, hero god of Menomini, 18, 21 ; protector of Earth, 25; little brother White Wolf, 26; guard of earth's surface, 35; magical keenness of hearing, 28, 32; tracks the lost brother in dreams, 33; accepts celestial lodge from gods, 65; wills old man to meet him, 72; orders Naxpatao to receive souls of dead, 106 Manitu, term not used by Menomini, 17 Manituk, officers in lodge, Ojibwa, 318, 319, 321 Ma^kani, Medicine People, Iowa, 235 Mankanye Tcelnau, rite of medicine "dead road," Iowa, 243 Mankanye Waci, Medicine Dance, Iowa, 189 Md'nomanewiXk, the Menomini, 71 Manzomani, "Walking Iron," leader in Dakota lodge, 263 Masha Manido cited by Hoffman, 16 Mate HdwatHk, the Creator, 25, 43, 91; Great Power, Menomini, 35 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 348 MEDICINE CEREMONY Medicine-bags shoot magic, dangerous to by- standers. 1 68; some bags cry out in ritual dance, 366 Medicine Ceremony, Menomini, 83; to prolong life, 22; of the Iowa, 230; of the Dakota, 278 Medicine Lodge Song, Dakota, 269 MegisisHk (sing, megisd), medicine shells or seeds, 43, 45, 50, 51; termed migis by Ojibwa, Dakota, 303. See Migis; Shell Mentula of wood disturbs medicine dance, 252 Metempsychosis, souls sent back to be bom again, 116; reasons for this belief, 117 Midi Gods, Ojibwa, 320 Midtwin Ceremony, Bungi band, 309; kept secret, 311 Migik. See Otter Migis, magic shell, Dakota, 303; plural, migisilk, 319. See MegisisHk; Shell Mink, magic next to otter in value, 61; among the Dakota, 297 Misinikdkd, the duckhawk, messenger of gods, 141 Mitao, lodge member, 16, 56, 57 Mitawdpe, seer, diagnoser of illness, 130, 145 Mitaw'ikomik, lodge in sky built by gods for Ma'nabus, 20, 139 Mitdwin, medicine-lodge society, 15, 17, 24; ceremony taught Ma'nabus, 36 Mitawiwin, Menomini, 64 Mokdcutzi, the east, Iowa, 189 IV INDIAN NOTES INDEX 349 Mother Earth, "Kick our Mother," i.e. dance, 334. See KokomUsa Mourning Ceremony, Iowa, 243, 260. See Jehainoke MUhwdse, "Little Wolf," another name for White Wolf, 138 Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foun- dation, 14 MUskigwHs, medicines of Ojibwa shamans, 316 Muskrat helps to form land, Dakota, 274, 275; brings up. mud from waters, 302 Muskrat-skins, white, for medicine-bags, Dakota, 264 Myran, Dauphin, informant on Midewin cere- mony, 309, 323 Nakuti, informant on Menomini rites, 19 N&nigis, "Someone Shaking," Ojibwa shaman, 317 Napatd, also Onapat^, brother of ManS-boso (Potawatomi), 327 Natowhdni Waci, "Leaves Fall Dance," Iowa Autumn ceremony, 242 Na'patdo, White Wolf or Little Wolf, brother of Ma'nabus, slain by Gods Below, 102, 103, 137; visited by Ma'nabus in other world, no; instructed to receive dead, in; stick carved in his likeness, 170 Necklaces of shells and bones are alive, 267 NikanHk, "My associates," cry during Menomini lodge rites, 16, 93 AND MONOGRAPHS IV i 350 MEDICINE CEREMONY NindkwUna, "My sister's son," Menomini, i8 Noko (n6koma), "grandmother," 334 note North: Power of North paints northern side of celestial lodge white, 38; Powers Below take northern end of lodge, 38; north is "cold" side of Iowa lodge, 247 Oanktayhee Rite, Dakota, 294 Obliteration Ceremony, public funer?il rites sum- moning, feasting, dismissing soul of dead, 23, 99, 123; description of, 126 Ogimduwinini, "Chief of Men," on Mid^win ceremony, 309; his chart, 316 Ojihwa Indians, 9-13, 16, 21, 163, 165, 277, 309, 311. 335-336 notes OkanHk, bones through which mitS.wape suck out disease, 145, 336 note OkefnamitewHk, gift of the great rites. Plains Ojibwa, 322 Omen, how the megis^ falls from mouth, Menom- ini, 95 Onapatd, brother of Manaboso, stolen by lower gods, Potawatomi, 328 Opec megisi, black seashells, magic, 336 note Orekurehuhi, warm or south side of lodge, 233, 338 note OsehauwHk, officials in lodge ceremony, 45, 50 Oshkosh, Menomini chieftain, his medicine-bag, 167 Oto Indians, 10, 13 Ottawa have same origin myth as Ojibwa, 339 note IV INDIAN NOTES INDEX 351 Otter ("Migik")t messenger from Gods Below to M^abus,4o; otter-skin bag given to Ma'nabus, 47; otter bag whistles in hands of Grandmother, 70; lives in center of ocean, 141; his power to turn dross into valuable gifts, 142; song of the otter bag, Dakota, 285 Otter-hunting Ceremony, Iowa, 212, 244- 248, 261 Owl, skin of, for medicine-bag, 164; face painted as, 164 Pdm^apdmi, Robert, his MitSlwin record carved on wood, 168 Panther Gods, Ojibwa, 322 Panther shoes in Dakota song, 289 Panther-skin for medicine-bag, 163 Pa'pewin, sleight-of-hand trick, Menomini, 62, 63; Dakota, 296, 332 note Pebble Society, Ponca, 306 Pebbles, magic, cured disease, etc., 308 Pexuwaci, Spring Medicine Dance, Iowa, 230 Peyote, rites regarding, 10 Pickerel, belief regarding, 282 Pitwdskum, informant on Menomini rites, 19 Piziki, the Buffalo, old Ojibwa, 309, 339 note Pizikiwas, buffalo medicine in tiny bags, Ojibwa, 316 Ponca Indians, 10 Ponca Pebble Society, Wacickani, Waxobi Watugari, 306 Po'sahau, medicine-bag, 54 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 352 MEDICINE CEREMONY Potawalomit ii, 13, 311; medicine lodge, 327 Powers Above and Below, Menomini, 23, 27, 29, 33. 126 PucwdwHk (pl.)t Pucw&o (sing.)t 47-49; official aids in rites of Menomini lodge, 132; guard entrance door, 81 ; formerly took sweat bath, 83 Quarrel Not, first of the Ten Rules of Life, Dakota, 281 Raccoon-skin, Ponca medicine-bags of, 307 Rodin, P„ cited. 11, 331 note Red (color): valued next to blue. South side of lodge painted red by Power of South, 38; red feathers in mouths of shamans, 244; on medi- cine-bags red feathers signify a scalp, 246; red feathers sacrificed to water for ceremony, Dakota, 282 Respect your lodge and visitors, third of the Ten Rules of Life, Dakota, 282 Rock, why termed "grandfather," 284 Rock Song, 284 Roots reveal themselves to dreamers for medicine in human shapes, 277; each root a song, put red down on it, 284; each represents a serpent, 284 Rules of Life, Dakota, 281, 303 Running Walker, Dakota leader, 263, 264 Sagei, the cane, Dakota, 290 Salamanders are the tent pins, Dakota, 281 Satterlee, John V., cited, 20, 23 IV INDIAN NOTES INDEX 353 Sauk Indians, lo, 12; songs of Becdeka, 296 Schoolcraft, H. R., cited, 10 Scalp, payment for initiation into Iowa lodge society, 193, 226, 227, 337 note Serpent-skin for medicine-bags, 62 Shamans, their avarice insatiable, 17, 21, 22 Shawano, Mrs John, informant on Potawatomi rites, 339 note Shell (cowrie), signifies life, 338 note. See Megi- sisHk; Migis Shell-swallowing in medicine rites, 202, 239, 303 Shell-vomiting in Iowa rites, 200, 201, 235, 303 Shooting magically of persons with megis6 from medicine-bags; 53, 54, 56, 94, 124, 125, 154, 167; Iowa, 202, 213, 239; Dakota, 288, 298, 303 Sick woman* s song, Dakota, 268 Skaupewis, a servant, 131, 134 Snakes in Menomini belief, 28, 171. See Unktehi Sobbing of MS-'nabus for Lost Brother frightens Powers, 139. See Weeping Songs, one for each "medicine" in bag, 167; recorded on boards, 267 South, power of, paints south side of lodge red, 38; Powers Above take south end of lodge, 38; "warm" side of lodge, 247 Spider songs, Dakota, 269, 271 Spring Medicine Dance, Iowa, 230, 259 Springer, Joe, informant on medicine rites, Iowa, 200, 217 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 354 MEDICINE CEREMONY Star Song, Dakota. 269 Stone, personification of, 145 Stone Song, Dakota, 271 Sudatory for initiations in medicine society, 207, 208, 337 note Tcekiuyoki, initiation by purchase, Iowa, 192 Tcikieoke, candidate for the medicine-dance society, 194 Tcibdiwinini, shade or ghost-man personifying dead, 121 Tcithredji, Iowa Medicine-lodge, 190 Thunder appears to dreamers: one of the great Powers, 248 Thunderhirds come from west, 140 Thunderers, the Mide bird gods, 320; servants of Gitci Manitu, 326 Thunder Song, Dakota, 269 TipanitcikawHk, another name for the Puc- wawuk officials, 162 Titatanka, the diver (?), 274 Tobacco, sacrificial, 17, 18, 24, 60, 77, 85, 90; "blue" tobacco, 91, 102, 332 note; sent to those asked to funeral ceremony, 118, 127, 128; as sacrifice to Powers Below, 147, 336 note; offered to Ma'nabus and all Powers, 173; tied to wrist of dead, 243; calumet offered to Mother Earth, 295 Tortoise symbolized by poles of sacred lodge, Dakota, 281 Towaka, water-drum used in lodge rites, 58. See Drum IV INDIAN NOTES INDEX Towhee, Dave, Iowa informant on medicine rites, 200 Tree Dwellers, spirits in human form, 339 note; name for band of performers in Dakota rites, 296 Ukema-mitio, chief or master shaman, 320 UkimauwHk, chiefs, 332 note ,Ukimawas, magical red powder, 172 Ukimaws, informant on Menomini rites, 19 UnkteHi, horned snakes or other monsters: give shell "arrows," 267, 338 note; build the land from ocean, 274, 276; live underground, herbs and grass are their hair, 277; dogs sacrificed to them, 278, 279 Updkiak, cat-tail mats, 76 Uswinauamikdsko. See Obliteration Ceremony Uxmedi, cold or north side of medicine-lodge, 233» 338 note Vomiting in Iowa rite, 237, 260; in Dakota rite, 287, 290 Wacickani, Ponca Pebble Society, 306 Wacucke, medicine shell or arrow, Iowa, 235 Wahmnoohah, magic shell, Dakota, 291 Wahpeton Dakota, 11, 12, 262 Waidhskinit Apd'sos, the White Undergroimd Deer, 30, 331 note Waiakida, police in Iowa rites, 214, 241 Wakanda, creator of the world, 189, 195, 205, 355 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 356 MEDICINE CEREMONY 3o8. 3i8, 223, 327, 242, 243, 246; can be copied by Evil Powers, 248 Wakanda linga, son of God, 189 Wakanhdi-inyanka, "Fast Lightning," Dakota leader, 263 Wakantanka came down from heaven on rain- bow, 273; has died, 274 Wdkan Wacipi, Dakota medicine dance, 262; all members are equal by 7th of the Ten Rules of Life, 283 Wamunha, magic shell, Dakota. 299 PTand/^iG^o/Mn^a, initiation ceremony to replace dead comrade, 220 Wapikiniwapf an Ojibwa of the Plains, 314 Washing-off Feast at removal of face paint, etc., 229, 258 WcUer, sacred according to the Dakota, 282 Water Drum, partly filled with water to aid sound, 80, 97; addressed as "blue one," 98; use according to Peter Fish , 170, 249. See Drum Waxobi Watugarit Pebble Society of Ponca, 306 Weeping of Ma'nabus for his brother, 34. See Mourning Ceremony; Sobbing Weke, Kopaias, informant on Menomini rites, 19 West, sunset side of medicine-lodge, 247 WexnoUk, alternate name for the osehauwuk, lodge officials, 152 White (color) contains magic; white magical wolf, 25; white decoy deer of Gods Below, 30, 138, 331 note; white icy sea, 31; willow for IV INDIAN NOTES INDEX 357 lodge-poles because of white pollen, 222; Power of North paints north side of lodge white, 38; muskrat, 264 White Bear, chief of Powers Below, 139 White Bear Gods live deep underground, 28, 148; Bear Below, 136 White Otter (Migik), messenger of Gods Below to Manabus, 40 White Weasel medicine-bag, Ponca, uttered cries, 308 . Wikomik, tent, 333 note Willow for supports of sweat-lodge, 222 Wind Song, Dakota, 271 Winnebago, 10, 312 Witches alluded to by Ma'nabus,* 11 1 Wojute, dish used in rites, Dakota, 292 Wolfskins for medicine-bags, 62 Women admitted members of Lodge Society, may be officers, 172; but not among Iowa, 337 note; pretend, in Iowa lodge rites, unable to sing, 200, 238 Yatdpewin, ceremony of reinstatement, 128 Yatapit, a degree in the society, 128 AND MONOGRAPHS IV 1 Medicine ceiemony of tlic Menomini, TooM- Lftrary AUY4290 3 2044 043 157 197